2024-Issue 2 Alumni Review

Members of the Rat Mass broke out of the Rat Line and became the Class of 2027 at the completion of Breakout, Feb. 6, 2024.

In This Issue . . .

This issue includes class notes and news items covering the time period of Nov. 15, 2023, to Feb. 15, 2024.

A Message From

Danny Thornton ’78

VMI Alumni Agencies Chairman & VMI Keydet Club President

OOver the past several years, the VMI Alumni Agencies has made numerous improvements in its operations to better serve alumni and the extended VMI family, its mission to support the Institute, and most importantly, our commitment to support the hard work of our stellar cadets.

During my time on the Keydet Club Board of Governors, I have had the pleasure of getting to know many of the staff. This is an incredible group of talented people all dedicated to our mission, supporting a worthy cause. I thought it might be helpful to provide a more in-depth understanding of what the VMI Alumni Agencies does.

In 2017, the VMI Foundation, VMI Alumni Association, and Keydet Club combined their experience and resources to become the VMI Alumni Agencies. Because of this reorganization, the Alumni Agencies is now more efficient and effective than ever in the areas of operational efficiency, resource optimization, enhanced collaboration, strengthened fundraising, and improved constituent services. This was all accomplished with little increase in expense—since the 2017 consolidation, the overall increase through 2023 is 1.5%.

All three organizations continue to embrace a shared commitment to supporting VMI and VMI alumni. During summer 2023, the members of the three organizations’ executive committees met to discuss numerous issues related to our common work. One of the fruits of that discussion was a determination to adopt an approach that was summed up as “Unity and Clarity.” Essentially, we are unified in our belief in the value of VMI to our Commonwealth and our country, as well as in the need to support VMI’s important work at this pivotal time in our nation’s history. It also means we agree that we must state this belief and our support of VMI in a forthright, confident, and clear way.

By acknowledging the strength that comes from getting out of our former silos and assigning functional expectations based on talents and experience, fundraising activities are further enhanced. As a result, we maximize the ability to ensure our effectiveness in fundraising and stewardship while not pulling back on the ability of our boards to manage and oversee the operations of their particular organizations and the Alumni Agencies as a whole. We also continue to

provide opportunities for alumni to connect, advance in their careers, and participate in many activities and events through individual chapters and on-post activities.

Recently, the VMI Alumni Association researched, procured, and successfully launched the first electronic/remote voting process in its history. The nominating process has not changed since the late 1980s. The thorough vetting process has served us well.

Philanthropy to VMI—regardless of the inspiration— should be well-recognized. Inspired by a need for “Unity and Clarity” and the opportunity to provide clear and meaningful recognition of our valued donors and their families, the Agencies introduced a new donor recognition system combining the strengths of both to arrive at a more integrated system. Furthermore, the Marshall Order, the highest giving order acknowledging exemplary lifetime giving, was restructured. The Marshall Order now recognizes all giving, including support of VMI’s NCAA athletics. Additionally, I am excited to share with you a new program for young alumni. With a strong focus on growing their careers and literally 50% of each class on active duty, it takes a creative approach to connect young alumni with the work of the Agencies, philanthropy for VMI, and generally getting involved with their alma mater. Our new and first-ever young alumni initiative, Graduates of the Last Decade Society, encourages connection on all levels. The GOLD Society builds community across class lines and helps acquaint young alumni with the work of the Agencies.

The Agencies team has also been working on the launch of an incredibly important initiative in support of bringing top-quality candidates to VMI. Through Call to Duty Scholarships, we have recognized an important need and call to action for the VMI family. For the Class of 2027, this scholarship program was a game-changer in terms of helping VMI recruit high-quality candidates who are committed to serving as officers of the U.S. Armed Forces. In several instances, prospective cadets who might have otherwise decided to attend another senior military college due to financial considerations were able to come to VMI, their first choice.

Also under the heading of new initiatives is a comprehensive marketing campaign launched to enhance the awareness and reputation of VMI among a broad spectrum of audiences. Alumni wanted to hear more about the stories of inspiration and accomplishment from our current cadets and alumni. This effort also bolsters VMI’s admissions efforts by connecting these stories to the families of prospective cadets through a digital marketing campaign. Combined with more traditional marketing channels such as dynamic advertisements in three Virginia airports, full-page ads, and digital billboards around Richmond, the campaign focuses on promoting VMI as a premier institution for developing young people into honorable, purposeful, and effective leaders through an extraordinary education. Many also speak to the high degree and measured success of our alumni, the return on investment of a VMI education, and VMI’s strong national rankings among other colleges.

As you undoubtedly know, VMI is a special place. I encourage all alumni to attend their next class reunion. I can’t tell you the number of alumni I have talked to who said they were on the fence about attending, but once here,

they were so glad they did. Alumni speak of the strength of the connections: Even though separated for years and even decades, they pick up right where they left off. No one ever regrets returning to post and seeing for themselves the enduring strength of their alma mater, as well as rekindling the relationships they had in barracks and afterward. It is why the Agencies devotes extensive time and effort to supporting the organization and execution of reunions.

Over and over again, the opportunity to see the strength of the Corps of Cadets firsthand inspires many to support VMI’s worthy mission in a way they haven’t in the past. These incredibly impactful gifts extended to VMI at the honor class reunions often provide tens of millions of dollars in gifts and commitments and are the foundation of VMI’s future. Based on the success of VMI graduates, these gifts are the best investment around.

All of us at the VMI Alumni Agencies are thankful for the continued engagement and consistent support of members of the VMI family. Your partnership with us and VMI is making a profound difference in the lives of our cadets and, considering the outsized impact our graduates have wherever they go, the future of our great country.

Danny Thornton ’78, Keydet Club president, at the Keydet Club Scholarship Banquet with Cadet Isaac Dolph ’24 (left) and Cadet Geoffrey Speight ’26. Both cadets receive financial support from a scholarship Thornton established.

Bierman ’87 Relinquishes Command

U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. James “Chip” Bierman Jr. ’87 (right) relinquishes command of III Marine Expeditionary Force to Lt. Gen. Roger B. Turner at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa, Japan, Jan. 26, 2024. The III MEF provides the United States with a forward-deployed force in readiness in the Pacific theater. It is a globally responsive, expeditionary, and fully scalable Marine Air Ground Task Force capable of employing forces for operations ranging from crisis response to combat operations.

Adamski ’01

Promotes to Brigadier General

Attending the promotion ceremony to brigadier general for U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Melissa Adamski ’01 at the Museum of the United States Army, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, Feb. 25, 2024, are (from left) Jon Martin ’01, Gussie Lord ’01, Adamski, Melissa Krawiec ’01, Kendra Li ’01, and Tennille Chisholm-Barnabi ’01.—Photo

Carroll Foy ’03

Serves in Virginia Senate for the 33rd District

Sen. Jennifer Carroll Foy ’03 takes the oath in her swearing-in ceremony to the Virginia Senate alongside her husband, Jeff Foy ’03, and sons, Xander and Alex, in the Virginia General Assembly Jan. 10, 2024. Carroll Foy represents Virginia’s 33rd District.

From 2018–20, Carroll Foy served as a Virginia House of Delegates member from the 2nd District. Carroll Foy was the first VMI alumna to hold a seat in state legislature. She served as a public defender in Arlington County and was the first public defender to serve in the Virginia General Assembly.

Carroll Foy matriculated from Petersburg, Virginia, and earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from VMI. She earned her Master of Arts degree from Virginia State University and her Juris Doctor degree from Thomas Jefferson Law School.—Photo courtesy Tyler Begley.

by U.S. Army Reserve Maj. Jeku Arce, 200th Military Police Command.

Jennings ’04 Promotes to Colonel

U.S. Army Col. Harley P. Jennings ’04 with his wife, Sarah, and their daughters, Addison (left) and Lillian, at his promotion ceremony to colonel at the Patch Barracks Chapel in Stuttgart, Germany, Jan. 1, 2024. Jennings is based out of Stuttgart and serves as the Special Operations Command Europe director of logistics supporting all special operations in the EUCOM area of responsibility. In January, Jennings was also selected for brigade command with a change of command projected in summer 2025.

Thrasher ’14, Macias ’14 Reconnect in Kuwait

Ohio Army National Guard Capt. Tristan Thrasher ’14 (left) and U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Robert Macias ’14 reconnect in Kuwait while deployed.

Chien ’14 Graduates from Foreign Service Officer School

Austin Chien ’14, pictured with his wife, Lea, and their child, graduates from the State Department Foreign Service Officer School.

Couteret ’14 Promotes to Lieutenant Commander

U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Nathan Couteret ’14 at his recent promotion to lieutenant commander. He is currently serving as a cyber security staff officer with the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California.

Brown ’18 Receives Commando Medal

U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Joseph Z. Brown ’18 (third from left) receives the Commando Medal for his performance in the Royal Marines 13-week All-Arms Commando course. The medal is given to the top student who demonstrates the Commandos’ qualities of courage, determination, unselfishness, and a positive attitude against adversity. The Royal Marines, which fall under the British Ministry of Defence, are known for their 32-week basic training course, the longest infantry training of any NATO member’s military, that culminates with a 30-mile ruck march across Dartmoor, an upland area in Devon, England. The All-Arms Commando course is an abbreviated version of the this 32-week course and designed for service members who have already completed basic training in different military branches.

Anthony ’62: “No Single Institution Aided Me More”

G

Growing up in Richmond, Virginia, John Duke Anthony ’62, Ph.D., was aware of VMI from an early age for a very good reason—his father, James Coleman Anthony, was in the Class of 1925, and the elder Anthony was eager for his youngest son to matriculate.

There was just one problem: Anthony didn’t want to go to any college, including VMI. An accomplished baseball player from the age of 7, he had his sights set on the ballparks—not the barracks.

However, life often throws a curve ball, and today, Anthony is enjoying his new position and role as the National Council on U.S.–Arab Relations’ senior strategic adviser—stepping back gradually from a career that took him to ministries and medinas rather than Major League Baseball stadiums.

After six decades of involvement in the Middle East and 40 years as the visionary founder, president, and CEO of the National Council, Anthony remains supremely appreciative of all the Institute provided him. He also continues to be as passionate as ever about ensuring that his fellow Americans embrace perspectives associated with the multipolar realities of today’s world affairs.

“In pursuit of my convictions and commitments, other than my parents, wife, and children, no single institution aided me more than the Institute,” Anthony noted. “VMI instilled in me an extraordinary set of values.

“Without question, these values—and their metaphorical cousins, lofty ideals and principles—stood me well throughout my cadetship and have remained near the center of my moral compass ever since.”

That compass has taken him to some extraordinary places. Over the past six decades, Anthony has had a front-row seat and a unique insider’s perspective on events that have shaped world affairs, including the June 1967 Arab-Israeli War and the 1973 Arab oil embargo, not to mention 9/11 and the recent conflicts in the Middle East.

Along the way, Anthony has received many honors and awards. In a historical first for a VMI graduate, H.M. King Muhammad VI of Morocco knighted Anthony in 2000, bestowing upon him the Medal of the Order of Ouissam Alouite, Morocco’s highest award for excellence.

In addition, Anthony is the only American to

By Mary Price, Development Writer

have been invited by Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates to each of the six Gulf Cooperation Council Members’ Ministerial and Heads of State Summits from the GCC’s inception in 1981–2020.

In November 2023, just after stepping aside as head of the National Council, Anthony was honored with not only the organization’s Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his exceptional service but also with the announcement of the Anthony Award for Excellence, to be presented annually to the best-performing participant in the National Council’s University Youth Leadership Program.

Among the more than 500 national and international guests at the formal dinner at which the award was presented were H. Delano Roosevelt, grandson of former President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Anthony’s successor as president and CEO at the National Council on U.S.–Arab Relations, and retired U.S. Army Gen. David Petraeus, former head of the Central Intelligence Agency.

Speaking at the dinner, His Royal Highness Saudi Arabian Prince Turki Al Faisal, chairman of the King Faisal Institute for Islamic Studies and Research, noted that Anthony had made “an indelible mark on the world through [his] visionary leadership and unwavering commitment.”

When he matriculated in 1958, Anthony, who serves as president of his VMI class, never imagined that he would be so recognized—or that he’d devote his entire working life to a region about which many Americans of that era knew little. Indeed, at VMI and most other American colleges and universities at the time, the Middle East didn’t feature prominently in the curriculum.

What would prove to be the turning point of Anthony’s life came innocently enough during his cadet years. As a 2nd Class cadet, he read about a scholarship contest sponsored by the Center for World Learning, an organization that sends young Americans abroad to broaden their cultural perspectives.

A young Richmonder would be chosen to have the experience of living with a family in another country — so Anthony, a history major at VMI with a deep curiosity about international affairs, thought, why not apply?

On his third try, Anthony succeeded and was

told to pack his bags for Argentina. Days later, though, a political crisis there caused that nation to be removed from the list for Americans traveling abroad. Next, he was told to choose between Mexico, Peru, or Egypt.

He didn’t know it at the time, of course—but choosing Egypt put him on the path to discovering his life’s passion.

“With the advance notice being less than a week to depart for Cairo, there was next to zero time to prepare,” Anthony recalled. “But once [the culture shock] passed … I was smitten.”

After his stay in Egypt, Anthony visited the Gaza Strip, Greece, and Jordan, as well as Israel and Turkey. Next, the Center for World Learning selected Anthony to lead a university student group to Iran.

There, in 1964, he lived with an Iranian family, the father of which had been the country’s foreign minister at the time of the 1917 Bolshevik revolution in Russia. “This man was larger than life,” said Anthony. “He ‘adopted’ me, unofficially but in practically every other way, as his American son.”

Thanks to these transformative experiences, the young man who once thought he’d play baseball for a living had found a calling. Returning to the United States, he was granted one of three University Scholar Awards at Georgetown University, where he earned a Master of Science in Foreign Relations degree with distinction. Then, it was on to Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies, where he earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in international relations—and marked a first in university history by being appointed to the full-time faculty while still a student.

Anthony spent as much of the rest of the 1960s as possible in the Middle East. In 1969, he was awarded a Fulbright, which took him to the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen, then the only Marxist-Leninist government in Arab and Islamic history. To this date, he remains the only American to have lived and conducted political research in that nation on a Fulbright.

Thanks to his extensive experience in the Middle East, Anthony simultaneously took on two other roles: One overseeing the training of American diplomats headed to the Arab region and the other as deputy editor of the Middle East Journal, then the world’s most prominent scholarly periodical in English.

At the time, a career in the State Department

seemed to be Anthony’s for the asking—indeed, he was offered the position of full-time chair of the diplomatic education and training program for mid-level Foreign Service personnel posted to Arab countries.

Tempted though he was, Anthony knew enough to ask whether he would always be allowed to tell the truth or be compelled to espouse official policy. Informed there would be times when he would have to implement the latter approach, Anthony declined the position.

“Having a conscience drove my decision,” he commented. “With my parents as role models, with VMI’s Honor Code engraved in my psyche, and in response to the silent voice that exists in most, if not all of us, whispering to me, it was impossible to accept the offer.”

Anthony’s involvement with the State Department, though, didn’t end with that incident—far from it. After the Iranian Revolution began in 1979, Anthony helped to revise the State Department’s educational and training curricula. In addition, he served as one of

the Departments of Defense and State’s most sought-after specialists on Arabia and the Gulf and on U.S. foreign policy generally for most of the next four decades, some years delivering more than 100 speeches. In the process, each of these two government agencies would present him with one of three distinguished lecturer awards in their respective histories.

By this time, in the 1970s, the Middle East had shifted from the shadows to the forefront of American consciousness. Spurred by a desire to educate Americans about this critically important region, Anthony formed the National Council in 1983. In so doing, he did not forget VMI, as he worked with several VMI faculty members to create the Institute’s first course on the Middle East.

In addition, Anthony played a pivotal role in enabling cadets to study Arabic in Fes, Morocco —VMI’s summer program in that nation was begun by the National Council.

At the National Council, one productive and fruitful year followed another, and before

Anthony knew it, 40 years had elapsed. Along the way, innumerable opportunities were afforded to cadets as interns, and numerous VMI faculty members were able to take study visits to the region.

Last year, health challenges prompted Anthony to slow down. Even so, there has been no diminution of his keen interest in the Arab region, the Middle East, and the Islamic world—or his support of VMI.

“The VMI experience,” he noted, “shows what can be accomplished, [and] not necessarily because of who you are or where you are from.”

No matter where in the world he was—Abu Dhabi, Algiers, Bahrain, Cairo, Damascus, Doha, Dubai, Muscat, Rabat, Riyadh, Sana’a, Tunis, or even at home now in McLean, Virginia—VMI was “never far from the center,” Anthony noted.

“For me and for countless others, there is no question that what Jackson is alleged to have said is true,” he commented. “You may be whatever you resolve to be.”

Below: Anthony and his wife, Cynthia Anthony, are pictured at Kings College, Cambridge University, United Kingdom, during the university’s annual Gulf Research Meetings.

Right: John Duke Anthony ’62, Ph.D., (left) is pictured with former U.S. President Jimmy Carter in Washington, D.C., Oct. 15, 1998, for the presentation of the first-ever Arab International Peace Award to His Majesty Qaboos Bin Said Bin Taimur, Sultan of Oman.

Right: Moroccan King Muhammad VI (left) knights Anthony with the Order of Quissam Alouite, Morocco’s highest award for excellence, June 2, 2000.

Hupp ’77, Hupp ’84 Honored with Keydet Club Spirit of VMI Award

On Jan. 20, 2024, during halftime of VMI basketball’s game against The Citadel—a contest in which the Keydets emerged victorious, 70-63— brothers William T. “Billy” Hupp ’77 and Stephen E. “Steve” Hupp ’84 were presented with the VMI Keydet Club’s highest honor, the Spirit of VMI Award. First presented in 1975, the award recognizes outstanding service to and support of VMI athletics.

Joining the brothers in Cameron Hall for the awards presentation were Diana Hupp, Billy’s wife; Renee Hupp, Steve’s wife; Jim Miller, VMI athletic director; Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins ’85, superintendent; Andrew C. Deal ’12, VMI Keydet Club chief operating officer and Alumni Agencies chief development officer; and Danny Thornton ’78, Keydet Club president.

The story of the Hupp family’s support of VMI is one of generational attendance and gratitude for all the Institute has done for them. The brothers’ father, H. Thomas Hupp Jr. ’44, was a lifelong supporter of Keydet athletics and passed that pride and loyalty on to his sons. As they grew up, the brothers often accompanied their father to the Institute and elsewhere. Steve recalled, “Attending VMI athletic events on a regular basis was something I looked forward to and loved doing.”

In honor of their father’s legacy, the Hupp brothers established the Hupp Family Athletic Scholarship in 2005. “We wanted to do it while he was around to enjoy it, which he did for five years,” remembers Steve. “He made it to several Keydet Club Scholarship Banquets and thoroughly enjoyed spending time with the cadet-athletes who benefitted from the scholarship.”

By Scott Belliveau ’83, Communications Officer, and Mary Price, Development Writer

The permanence of an endowed scholarship attracted them, as well. “I believe individuals are more open-minded to give in a way that benefits a cause in perpetuity,” Billy Hupp explained. “Endowments do that by growing and spinning off an increasing amount of money for the purpose donors established them—and will continue to do so after donors are not able to give anymore. While that is good in and of itself, endowed funds also ease the pressure on annual giving efforts, and that is incredibly beneficial.” Steve Hupp agreed, “I understand the value of an endowment as something that will help future cadet-athletes on a perpetual basis. That unique feature is very special, and it constitutes an addition to whatever I can give annually.”

Continuing to a third generation, the Hupp family legacy has kept thriving through Steve’s sons, Stephen E. Hupp Jr. ’16 and Thomas B. Hupp ’20. Both were involved with VMI athletics as cadets: Stephen as a member of the Keydet football team and Thomas by serving on the S6 (now S9) staff as a liaison between cadet-athletes and the rest of the Corps.

Through this work, Thomas met Kiley Cropper ’21, a member of the women’s soccer team, and they later married. Rounding out the family’s involvement with and commitment to the Institute, Steve and Renee’s daughter, Maj. Rebekah Martin, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and her husband, Donnie Martin ’13, is an adjunct faculty member in that department.

Just as Billy and Steve are continuing their father’s legacy with their giving, Thomas and Kiley have continued the family’s legacy by establishing the Hupp Family Women’s Soccer Scholarship, which Steve generously

William T. “Billy” Hupp ’77 and Stephen E. “Steve” Hupp ’84 receive the Spirit of VMI Award, the Keydet Club’s highest honor, during halftime of the VMI basketball game against The Citadel Jan. 13, 2024. Pictured are (from left) Jim Miller, VMI athletic director; Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins ’85, superintendent; Billy Hupp and his wife, Diana Hupp; Steve Hupp and his wife, Renee Hupp; Andrew C. Deal ’12, VMI Keydet Club chief operating officer and Alumni Agencies chief development officer; and Danny Thornton ’78, Keydet Club president.—VMI Photos by H. Lockwood McLaughlin.

supports. “Renee and I are obviously very thankful that the women’s soccer program brought Kiley from Colorado to VMI. Supporting their endowed scholarship and helping it offer more scholarships to women soccer players, therefore, is something we love doing. Plus, it exposes us to an entirely new group of wonderful cadet-athletes.” Renee and Steve are not alone in the Hupp family in supporting the scholarship, as Rebekah and Donnie also support the scholarship.

For several years, Steve has also supported funds that increase the operational support for the basketball team and enhance the compensation for VMI’s coaches. Asked why he does the latter, he answered, “First, coaches impact cadet-athletes’ lives as much as anyone, besides their parents, ever will while they are at VMI and for the rest of their lives. Therefore, I want to always have the best coaches possible at VMI. In 2019, when I was the VMI Foundation’s president, the Alumni Agencies leadership team was preparing a progress report on VMI athletics. In that process, we learned VMI was last in the Southern Conference in most funding categories, such as coaches’ pay and operating budget. I knew when we presented this problem to the VMI family, we would need to provide some solutions to it. So, the VMI Keydet Club created two coaches’ compensation funds—one for football and an unrestricted one for all sports. These funds have allowed us to attract and, better yet, retain many high-quality coaches, and that is to everyone’s benefit.”

Both Billy and Steve have also generously given of that most precious commodity—their time—as volunteer leaders. Billy served on the Keydet Club Board of Governors from 1991–97, and Steve began his service in 2022 (he also was a VMI Foundation trustee from 2006–21 and the organization’s president from 2019–21). Steve primarily sees his service in terms of giving back. “I can never repay VMI for all it has done for me and my family. My father was a POW in Germany during World War II. He credited two things for his survival: First, God, and second, what he had learned at VMI. Likewise, VMI has had an enduring impact on me, and it transformed my sons, my son-in-law, and my daughter-in-law. Second, our country desperately needs the citizen-soldiers of honor, loyalty, and integrity that VMI graduates, and I feel an obligation as a citizen and alumnus to do all I can to ensure VMI continues that important work and continues to do it with excellence.”

As to why he served, Billy said, “Partially, because I struggle saying no, but primarily because there always is a core group of alumni who have a ‘can-do’ attitude and who are willing to work to benefit VMI.

So, when offered the opportunity to be part of such a group, I took it without hesitation.”

When asked how they respond to those who ask why they should give to VMI athletics, Billy replied, “In general, I ask if a VMI education benefitted them or members of their families. If they say ‘yes,’ I tell them that creating an opportunity for a young athlete who probably could not otherwise attend VMI, therefore, would seem worth a small financial sacrifice on their part.”

Steve’s reply turns on one word: Excellence. “VMI does such an impressive job training young men and women to be leaders of strong character, integrity, and honor. It does so because it strives for excellence in the classroom and the barracks. Our alumni and friends know this and expect it. All of us should, therefore, want our athletic teams to achieve excellence, and for that to happen, we must support them financially with excellence—in other words, in the VMI way!”

Thornton said of the Hupps, “Billy and Steve have kept their father’s legacy alive and honored him by creating an amazing legacy of their own—and inspiring a younger generation to do the same. May God continue to bless the Hupp family.”

Following Thornton’s presentation of the award, both Hupp brothers offered remarks. “When we’re recognized, we appreciate it,” said Billy. “But that’s not why we [support VMI]. We do it for these great student-athletes. ... All VMI people have one thing in common: They’re willing to sacrifice to get ahead in life. They come here with that attribute. They leave here earning a lot more than that. And that’s why their success level is so high.”

Steve also thanked the Keydet Club for the honor, saying, “This is an amazing honor for us, for my father, and also our family. The nation needs what VMI produces, and that is men and women of honor, courage, and integrity. ... We love that VMI does that and does that with excellence. So all we ask is that you join us in supporting VMI in any way you can with time, talent, and treasure.”

“The Keydet Club was honored to recognize Billy and Steve Hupp over the weekend of Jan. 20,” said Deal. “The impact they have made with their philanthropy and service is profound. To be able to celebrate them at halftime of The Citadel basketball game and enjoy a wonderful dinner that evening with their families and friends was really special. It has been a pleasure working with them both to serve our mission in support of our coaches and cadet-athletes.”

Diversity, Opportunity, and Inclusion

SurveyQ&A

This article is the first of several that will appear in the Alumni Review or Turnouts, our monthly digital newsletter, delving deeper into some of the issues addressed by the recent VMI Alumni Association survey.

with Briana Williams, VMI Chief Diversity Officer

Regarding diversity, opportunity, and inclusion, the survey reported that 432 individuals (14.1% of 3,004 respondents) mentioned DOI/DEI-related keywords in their written comments. As promised, below is an overview of the current training in order to advance the discussion on creating a better and stronger VMI.

Briana Williams, VMI chief diversity officer, offered to walk us through the current program related to DOI/DEI. Williams, who has worked at VMI since February 2022, has professional experience with Title IX, new student orientation, and financial aid. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Marygrove College and a master’s in leadership and higher education administration from Baldwin Wallace University.

Q: What is the objective of the DOI efforts?

A: The DOI program is about preparing graduates to be mission ready. VMI is recognized for creating leaders of character—individuals who can successfully lead diverse groups in the military or private sector after they graduate. To best prepare our cadets for all levels of leadership, it is important to include topics and coursework that build perspective on the benefits of a diverse team.

Q: What is the beacon or guiding force behind VMI’s Inclusive Excellence training?

A: Our direction from the BOV was very clear:

• To create and foster a more diverse VMI;

• To create and foster a safe, equitable, and inclusive environment for all on post;

• To assure that we maintain a safe, rigorous process for escalating issues which have even the potential to violate the Code of a Cadet.

In addition to their guidance, we were very careful to reach out to respected organizations to understand their DOI programs and strove to make sure our programs

aligned with Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s Diversity, Opportunity, and Inclusivity program; VMI’s mission and leader development system; BOV Executive Committee objectives; the Department of Defense Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Strategic Plan 2022–23; the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Position Statement; and the National Collegiate Athletic Association Inclusion Statement.

Gene Scott ’80, Board of Visitors Inclusive Excellence Committee chair, presented to the BOV in 2023 that the Code of the Cadet guides the training goals and objectives of this program. Aspirations of integrity, respect, treatment, and understanding to all, as well as good manners, grace, proper humor, and humility, are commonplace characteristics in the code. In addition, the statement in the Code of the Cadet, “A cadet stands against intolerance, prejudice, discrimination, hate, and oppression,” is the signifying reason for cadets to understand the importance and benefits of a diverse population.

Q: What other organizations and programs does the VMI Inclusive Excellence training align with?

A: When planning for this year, we were very careful to reach out to respected organizations to understand their DOI programs. We strive to make sure our programs align with Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s Diversity, Opportunity, and Inclusivity program; VMI’s mission and leader development system; BOV Executive Committee objectives; the Department of Defense Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Strategic Plan 2022–23; the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Position Statement; and the National Collegiate Athletic Association Inclusion Statement.

Q: The VMI DOI program has greatly evolved since its beginning in 2021. What do you see as its strength of position at VMI today?

A: We have gotten better at customizing a program that works within VMI’s construct of an already existing honor system, expectations of behavior and decorum, and a mission-focused leadership development process. We have taken cues from VMI’s objective to develop leaders of character who will be able to lead in a complex world under complicated pressures and influences.

Q: What sort of feedback have you received from your cadet trainers?

A: Our trainers are the best of the best. Over the last 2–3 years, I have seen many of them develop as leaders through this process by taking opportunities to improve their own presentation style to make the program the very best it can be. Being an Inclusive Excellence facilitator offers an opportunity for cadets to develop skills that are useful throughout their cadetships and into their careers. They’ve often said they have become better at public speaking, improved their ability to adapt, are more comfortable having difficult conversations, and have become better leaders.

DOI Training Overview

(Approximately 50 minutes of training per academic year)

Rat Mass: Participants choose from several descriptors they align with, such as academic major, race, NCAA athlete status, gender, political views, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, etc. They then choose which one they want to discuss in a small group. Goal: To successfully integrate within the system of followership under the VMI Honor Code, they must value their shared identity as rats and future VMI cadets. Participants will understand that although disparate experiences and backgrounds have brought them to VMI, they are united in the fact they are each committed to embodying the VMI Honor Code and way of life.

3rd Class: Participants list five to 10 influential people in their lives—not family. They then identify race, gender, religion, educational background, etc., and make a check next to each person who shares the same dimension of diversity as themselves. While many of us have influencers who are similar to ourselves, as future leaders, cadets may want to consider avenues for adding more diverse perspectives to their thinking. Goal: Mitigating our own biases and identifying our blind spots is essential to making leadership decisions that are fair, building trust with followers, and influencing others.

2nd Class: Participants build a list of as many as 13 values they are resolute to live by and slowly narrow their list to two core values. Then, in small groups, cadets will be asked to share (as much as they are comfortable) what their two core values are. Facilitators will lead the class in discussions about the process for narrowing their values list, the difficulties they faced, and the ways in which cadets’ core values show up in their lives at VMI. They will ask the group to consider the benefits of having a Corps whose members share different core values. Goal: As the 2nd Class prepares to assume leadership of the Corps, having another opportunity to reflect on their values will help to reinforce the connections between their walk on the VMI leader journey and the true meaning of honorable living.

1st Class: Guest speaker event; the speaker will be a military or industry leader who is able to discuss how diversity and inclusion-related situations have played out in their career and impacted their decision-making. This year’s speaker was Steffanie Easter, acting assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics, and technology. Goal: Cadets should understand how integrating diverse perspectives can strengthen teams. The work of leading a diverse group can have moments of misunderstanding, tension, and even conflict that must be skillfully managed to see positive gains. Some 1st Class lectures may extend beyond 50 minutes in total, depending on the introduction of the speaker and length of the lecture.

Gen. Lemuel C. Shepherd, Class of 1917:

Marine Legend

UU.S. Marine Corps Gen. Lemuel “Lem”

Cornick Shepherd Jr., Class of 1917, grew up in Norfolk, Virginia, and was the grandson of a Confederate veteran.

Named for a great-uncle killed at Chancellorsville, Shepherd played football and ran track at VMI. He was busted from his rank of corporal as a 3rd Class cadet and remained a 1st Class private at VMI. He graduated early with some of the Class of 1917 so he could enlist and join the World War I effort in Europe. He received a Marine Corps commission in the reserve while still a cadet, and by mid-May of that year, Shepherd was at Parris Island for a 2-week shortened Basic Course. He spent that time on the rifle range.

By June, he was in France while the majority

of his classmates were receiving diplomas at VMI. Shepherd had earned a degree in civil engineering, and he was assigned to lay out the tent camp when his unit arrived in France.

Over the next year, Shepherd trained his platoon, which was part of the 55th Company, 5th Marine Regiment. The 5th was part of the 2nd Infantry (Rainbow) Division, which included a Marine Brigade.

On June 3, 1918, Shepherd led his company as executive officer toward what became the Battle of Belleau Wood. This was in the middle of the French line that needed reinforcements to halt the German Spring Offensive of 1918. Shepherd could see Germans, and an attack was imminent. Shepherd suggested to his company commander that he check on

their outpost located on a hill to their front. With permission granted, Shepherd and an orderly ran through heavy artillery fire to the outpost. Their numbers made 14 at the outpost, and soon, they were being attacked by an estimated 500 Germans. Shepherd had his men hold their fire until the enemy was close, and then he let loose. This halted a pivotal attack, but Shepherd was wounded in the neck in the process. He knew if he could spit, then the wound had not pierced all the way through, and he’d be OK. He could spit. Shepherd refused evacuation.

The next day, Shepherd’s company commander was killed, and he was ordered to take command. As he moved under fire toward the command post, Shepherd was wounded

By Jim Dittrich ’76, VMI Alumni Association Historian

With the captured Ryukyu capital of Naha as a background, U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Lemuel C. Shepherd, Class of 1917, commanding general of the 6th Marine Division, relaxes on an Okinawan ridge to consult a map of the terrain.—Photo courtesy National Archives.

seriously in the leg. He lay exposed for a long time before he was rescued and carried to the rear, then evacuated. By August, he was back with the 55th Company, where he participated in the all-American offensive of the war in the salient Battle of St. Mihiel. This was followed by the Meuse-Argonne offensive. Shepherd was wounded here again and finished the war in the hospital.

For his actions at Belleau Wood, the 21-yearold Shepherd received the Navy Cross, Army Distinguished Service Cross, Purple Heart, and the French Croix de Guerre.

Following his service in World War I, Shepherd was an aide to the commandant of the Marine Corps, Maj. Gen. John Archer Lejeune. Lejeune went on to become superintendent at VMI. Shepherd loved horses and rode daily with Lejeune. After time with Lejeune, Shepherd spent a lot of time in China with the 15th Marines and later the 4th Marines, mostly in command assignments. Like U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Lewis B. “Chesty” Puller, Class of 1921, he spent 4 years in Haiti in the early 1930s.

In June 1937, he took command of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines at Quantico. His battalion was used as a test battalion, especially with amphibious landings. When World War II came, Shepherd was well prepared for fighting in the Pacific. He was foremost a warrior, leading from the front. At the start of World War II, he commanded the 9th Marine Regiment, and Shepherd trained them hard. They were sent to Guadalcanal late in 1943, and he was promoted to brigadier general and assigned as assistant division commander, 1st Marine Division. He would help lead the landings on New Britain via Cape Gloucester.

Shepherd planned many of the operations on New Britain and, for a time, was over Puller. Both liked to be where the action was. Shepherd commanded the area around Borgen Bay, where the heaviest fighting occurred. Success came when his men secured Aogiri Ridge and then held off a Japanese counterattack using 37MM guns and grapeshot, which proved very effective in the jungle. After New Britain, Shepherd took command of the 1st Marine Provisional Brigade and trained his men for landings to retake Guam. He had two reinforced infantry regiments plus artillery. Shepherd watched as 10 of his amtracs were hit. The Japanese were defending the beach. Shepherd moved to the beach among the early waves and pushed his men forward. He would take his assigned Orote Peninsula. This was a tough jungle fight and would earn Shepherd a second star and command of the

newly created 6th Marine Division.

Shepherd’s 6th Marine Division headed to Okinawa by mid-1945. His assistant division commander was U.S. Marine Corps Brig. Gen. William T. Clement, Class of 1914 (later lieutenant general), and his G3 was Lt. Col. “Brute” Krulak, who would work with Shepherd multiple times.

Four divisions were to land with Shepherd on the far left. He had to break through the Shuri Line dominated by Sugar Loaf Hill. It took two weeks of hard fighting before Shepherd’s men took that hill. His cousin, U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Horatio “Monk” Woodhouse, Class of 1936, played a huge role and was killed by a sniper taking the town of Naha. The Okinawan rains were torrential, and the fighting was arguably the worst of the war. The war ended soon after, and Shepherd’s division was sent to China to disarm and repatriate the Japanese in North China. Following that assignment, Shepherd

“Shepherd was always a Marine ... and a proud VMI man.”

returned to Washington. U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Alexander Vandegrift was to retire as commandant of the Marine Corps, and Gen. Clifton Cates was selected over Shepherd as commandant. President Truman told Shepherd that he would follow Cates as commandant.

In the meantime, Shepherd headed the Marine Corps Schools; then, in June 1950, he was promoted to lieutenant general and given command of Fleet Marine Force, Pacific. Shepherd advised U.S. Army Gen. Douglas MacArthur regarding his audacious plan to land the Marines plus an Army division at Inchon. It was Shepherd who convinced MacArthur to take the resurrected 1st Marine Division with him.

Shepherd admired MacArthur and was close to him. MacArthur’s Inchon plan worked to perfection. Shepherd sat with MacArthur in Inchon harbor observing the landings. Both MacArthur and Shepherd visited Puller soon

after as he raced toward Seoul. Shepherd made trips to the Marines as they moved near the Chosin Reservoir en route to the Yalu River. He saw captured Chinese and told MacArthur personally that he saw them. This was clear proof that the Chinese were in the war. MacArthur’s staff had ignored any findings of Chinese intervention in Korea, and this mistake would cost them dearly.

After Korea, Shepherd went on to become the 20th commandant of the Marine Corps. He created a general staff in the Marine Corps headquarters with a chief of staff and a G1, G2, G3, and G4. He also worked to set the Marine active structure at three divisions and three air wings, which became public law. As commandant, Shepherd was also given full control over all Marines, and he would report to the secretary of the Navy and not, as in the past, to the chief of naval operations.

He was the first Marine to sit with the joint chiefs of staff. He also raised money for an American monument to be placed at Belleau Wood. Shepherd never forgot those brave men with whom he served. Shepherd left as commandant in 1955 but stayed on active duty until 1959, serving as chairman of the Inter-American Defense Board. He coordinated the defense of 21 countries in Latin America that were members of the Organization of American States. When he retired in 1959, he had 42 years of government service.

In his retirement, Shepherd continued to serve the Marine Corps, always helping enlisted Marines. He also loved to hunt and was a member of the local Warrenton Hunt Club. Often, he would be delayed doing Marine business and had to catch up after the hunt began. Will Allison ’53, M.D., related a story that one day, as Shepherd rode his horse looking for other members of the hunt club, he met a farmer dressed in bib overalls. He said, “I’m General Shepherd, and would you know where the hunt club might be?” The farmer angrily replied, “I’m Private O’Banion, and you can get ... off my land.” From that point on, O’Banion was a regular at all Shepherd socials. That’s how the general was. He respected straight talkers and loved Marines.

Shepherd was always a Marine, a soft-spoken Virginian with a Tidewater accent, a dedicated Episcopalian who said blessings before meals, and a proud VMI man. His close friend, Krulak, described Shepherd as a man of habits and a “spit and polish Marine.” He had tea every morning and a cold shower. Shepherd lived until 1990 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. On post, Shepherd’s memorial marker is located adjacent to Memorial Hall.

On Post

Joyous Moments at December Commissioning and Graduation

By Marianne Hause, VMI Communications & Marketing

The shortest day of the year was a great day of celebration, joy, and pride at Virginia Military Institute, as families and friends gathered in Memorial Hall surrounded by holiday greenery to witness 35 cadets cross the stage to receive their diplomas during the commencement ceremony Dec. 21, 2023.

Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins ’85, superintendent, gave the keynote remarks, standing in for the scheduled speaker, John D. Adams ’96, who apologetically canceled due to illness. Adams graduated from VMI with a degree in economics and business and is now a member of the VMI Board of Visitors.

Wins congratulated the graduating cadets and commended them on their persistence and hard work, relaying that he understood that they were ready to move on to the next stage of their lives but cautioned them not to forget what they had accomplished during their time at VMI. “Leaving VMI is often bittersweet. There are a few routines you won’t miss: Room inspections, studying late into the night, and forming up on

cold mornings. On the other hand, I am confident you will have pleasant memories of Ring Figure, barracks life, and your brother rats. The bonds you have formed will last a lifetime and are priceless,” he said.

Wins asked them to consider the lessons they learned at VMI: Lessons of honor, teamwork, discipline, and friendship. “I am confident these lessons will serve you well for the rest of your life and provide a strong foundation to build upon,” he stated.

He challenged them to ponder the fundamentals they learned from VMI. “Apply those principles to whatever situation you find yourself in life. Think critically, build trust, and reinforce the principles of honor and integrity. You own your integrity; it can never be taken away from you. Your integrity is irreplaceable. This foundation you built never goes out of style, especially in the face of danger. When others compromise during times of crisis, use that muscle memory you developed at VMI to overcome adversity.

“The world needs young leaders ready for a

challenge who have the persistence and intensity to face problems head on. Use what you have learned. America needs strong leaders who are not afraid to make sound decisions and overcome obstacles.”

He told the cadets that his speech would be the last time he addressed them as cadets. “From this point forward, you are graduates—fellow alumni—of Virginia Military Institute. We are all very proud of your accomplishment.”

He reminded the cadets to thank their parents, family members, close friends, and anyone else who helped them along the way. “Every cadetship has its highs and lows, but it would have been much harder, maybe even impossible, without support from friends and family members.”

Wins concluded by asking the cadets to stay in touch and to return as often as they can. “You are forever welcome here on post. I wish you the very best in the years to come and look forward to staying apprised of your many accomplishments and contributions to our society. You have the tools to go out into the world and accomplish

Nine cadets were commissioned into the United States Army and two into the U.S. Coast Guard during a ceremony in Memorial Hall Dec. 20, 2023.—VMI Photos by Kelly Nye.

great things. I have every faith you will do so.

Congratulations, graduates. Rah Virginia Mil!”

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, followed by a standing ovation and the traditional tossing of the gloves.

Four cadets—Robert Austin Doyle II ’24, Naomi Hahn ’24, Collin Blythe Ironside ’24, and Aidan Noonan ’24—maintained a 4-year cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher, designating them as distinguished graduates. Five cadets— John David Boles ’24, Evan Michael Eller ’24, Owen Donald Munz ’24, Ian Salyers ’24, and Carter Elliot Steward ’23—graduated with distinction by maintaining a 4-year cumulative GPA between 3.0 and 3.499.

The evening before commencement, the Joint Commissioning Ceremony was held, also in Memorial Hall, in which nine graduating cadets were commissioned into the U.S. Army as second lieutenants, and two May 2023 graduates, Connor Alan Smith ’23, who was a distinguished graduate, and Robert Bruce Gomez Jr. ’23, who graduated with distinction, commissioned into the U.S. Coast Guard as ensigns.

Offering remarks and administering the

oath of office was Maj. Gen. (Promotable)

Christopher C. LaNeve, who currently serves as the commanding general of the 82nd Airborne Division, U.S. Army, Fort Liberty, North Carolina.

LaNeve told those commissioning that, after learning the history of VMI for four years, they are now part of that history. He said when he was in their shoes, he was worried about what it would take to succeed, and he spoke on several principles he has discovered along the way. He advised them to be motivated leaders who bring focus and energy to their cause and to do what is right all the time, even when no one is watching. He instructed them to stick to the high standards that people expect and to take care of what the military gives them, including equipment and people. Finally, he encouraged them to develop tomorrow’s leaders, creating a climate for growth and caring for those around them.

LaNeve graduated and was commissioned from the University of Arizona. He has served in a variety of command and staff billets including Fort Ord, California; Western Illinois University ROTC program; the 101st Airborne Division; Fort Bliss, Texas; Fort Polk, Louisiana; Afghanistan; and Grafenwoehr, Germany.

His positions include executive officer to the assistant deputy chief of staff for operations and plans and deputy director of executive communications and control division-operations in the Office of the Chief of Staff of the Army. In 2006, he was assigned to the Defense Intelligence Agency, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C., where he served in the Defense Warning Office.

In addition to an undergraduate degree, LaNeve holds a Master of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University and a Master of Military Art and Science in Strategic Studies from the Command and General Staff College Advanced Operational Art Studies Fellowship. His military education includes the Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the Combined Arms Services Staff School, the Command and General Staff College, the Joint Forces Staff College, and Senior Service College Fellows Course. His awards and decorations include the Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge, Air Assault Badge, Ranger Tab, Pathfinder Badge, Master Parachutist Badge, and Army Staff Identification Badge. He has also earned the Mexican Parachutist Badge and the Royal Australian Parachutist Badge.

Graduates toss their gloves in a tradition that concludes the commencement ceremony and their time at VMI.

CLASS OF 2027 BREAKOUT

Following suit with last year in a return to a decades-old tradition, Breakout was held on a weekday, with activities beginning in the morning and resuming in the evening after the conclusion of the academic day. Breakout began the morning of Feb. 6, 2024, with a blast from Little John in barracks, followed by a workout on North Post. Rats completed a regular academic day, then resumed activities in the afternoon with a log march from North Post to barracks, culminating in a crawl across the Parade Ground. Once each class had the opportunity to give the rats one last sweat party, the physical aspect of Breakout was done. Rats and their dykes then enjoyed a dinner in Crozet Hall featuring Stephen Neas III ’77, guest speaker. After dinner, the Class of 2027 celebrated their new cadetship with their first Old Yell.

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

VMI has embraced the national College Debates and Discourse Program and was named one of 10 colleges and universities in the country to take part in the program’s Community of Practice through a grant from the John Templeton Foundation.—Photo courtesy VMI Center for Leadership and Ethics.

VMI Leads the Way in Civil Discourse in Higher Education

By Lt. Col. Kim Connolly, Center for Leadership and Ethics Assistant Director for Program and Conferences

In a publication titled “The VMI Leader Journey,” VMI states one of its core leadership principles is that cadets will demonstrate respect for self and civility toward others. To that end, the college has embraced the national College Debates and Discourse Program, an alliance of Braver Angels, the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, and Bridge USA.VMI has held numerous moderated debates on post since 2021. In January 2023, VMI was named one of 10 colleges and universities in the country to participate in the program’s Community of Practice through a grant from the John Templeton Foundation.

At VMI, the debates are organized in partnership with the Center for Leadership and Ethics and the Building BRIDGES club. Four cadets who underwent an application process and subsequent training to become student debate fellows in the program are joined

by three faculty fellows in planning the debates. These debates are not competitive but are held in a light parliamentary format that encourages respectful discussion and listening around a divisive or controversial topic. Participants address their comments to the trained debate chair, thereby avoiding personalization of clashing viewpoints. The purpose is not to change minds but to enlighten and demonstrate how to disagree thoughtfully and respectfully.

Past debate topics include women in combat roles; social media; the cadet athlete/non-athlete divide; and diversity, equity, and inclusion.

While these debates have become popular within VMI, the debate fellows decided to introduce this effective method of tackling controversial issues to their peers at the three nearby colleges: Washington and Lee University, Southern Virginia University, and Mountain Gateway Community College, with

an intercollegiate debate held Nov. 28, 2023, at VMI. Potential topics were presented to the schools via a survey and a discussion on banning controversial books in K-12 schools was chosen.

More than 100 participants from the four colleges gathered for the debate. Doug Sprei, ACTA’s campus partnerships vice president and College Debates and Discourse Alliance director, held the gavel as the debate chair and laid out the ground rules, encouraging the participants to express their viewpoints and embrace widening their perspectives. Speakers had three to four minutes to make their argument, followed by questions from the audience directed to the chair, without using the second-person “you” pronoun.

“We are all in a brave space together,” Sprei said. “Everyone here is invited into a conversation in which no one’s opinion cancels out

another’s.” He noted that this intercollegiate debate was the first of its kind in the country within the College Debates and Discourse Alliance. “VMI has become a vibrant, self-sustaining community of practice in our program, and its initiative in introducing Braver Angels debates and civil discourse to other colleges in the surrounding area is exemplary for the nation.”

During the debate, speakers shared their perspectives on banning books in K-12 schools, often including personal anecdotes. There was discussion on the meaning of “controversial” and also “ban.” As the evening progressed, it seemed that overall bans of books in a school system were less popular than determining age appropriateness and limiting certain books to older grades.

“I have never in my life been involved in such a thought-provoking discussion, getting to understand the ideas and thoughts of not only other VMI cadets but also students from SVU, Washington and Lee, and Mountain Gateway. Braver Angels has helped me gain a new perspective on discussion and communication in my generation,” said Cadet Isabella Bruzonic ’25, one of the student fellows. “I got to hear perspectives I would have never thought of. I

gained respect for the people who were willing to have a conversation without anger and animosity; it was a pure conversation that was purely educational.”

One of the speakers was a student from Southern Virginia University. “I was grateful for the opportunity to speak my mind candidly in an environment where candid opinions were welcomed,” said Jared Smith. “During this time of political and ideological polarization in America, we need more events like these! We have the freedom of speech in America, but it hardly serves our society if we do not implement the structure and activities that give people the opportunity to exercise it productively and peacefully.”

“I felt that with this event, we built bridges between the four schools, and I hope that this is the first of many intercollegiate events,” said Col. Valentina Dimitrova-Grajzl, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Economics and Business and one of the faculty fellows. “I am very proud of the work of our VMI College Debates and Discourse team and the collaboration with our partners at the other three schools.”

Cadet Devin Thomas ’24, another one of the student fellows, echoed that opinion, stating

that he thought the debate formed a bond among the greater Lexington college student community that VMI’s College Debates and Discourse fellows can build upon with future events. At least one more debate was planned for the spring semester, as well as smaller lunchtime debates chaired by the cadet fellows. The alliance also offers training in classroom debates.

“It is our hope that with this initial intercollegiate effort, our peers at our local colleges will decide to introduce this format within their own schools,” said Lt. Col. Kim Connolly, Center for Leadership and Ethics assistant director for programs and conferences, and another debates faculty fellow. “We all benefit from the experience of how we can have civil discourse on divisive topics. It is truly transformative.”

In addition to Thomas and Bruzonic, the other student fellows at VMI are Cadets Jillian Hall ’24 and Earl Filgo ’25. Lt. Col. Sara Whipple, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology, is a faculty fellow. Partners from the other colleges who made this event happen are Fran Elrod and Tim Diette from Washington and Lee, Iana Konstantinova from SVU, and Suzanne Ostling and Robert Short from MGCC.

Cadets Isabella Bruzonic ’25, Jillian Hall ’24, Devin Thomas ’24, and Earl Filgo ’25 are cadet fellows in the debate program.—VMI

Photo by Kelly Nye.

SECRET SERVICE VISITS POST TO RECRUIT TOP TALENT

By Marianne Hause, VMI Communications & Marketing

Kimberly Cheatle, 27th director of the U.S. Secret Service, along with a large contingent of agents—including VMI alumni and The Citadel alumni—made a special recruiting trip to VMI recently.

Saturday morning began with the team’s arrival to post in multiple black SUVs and an armored bus used for recruitment purposes, as well as transporting people under their protection, including presidential candidates. They were given a tour of barracks, where they chatted with a select group of cadets, followed by a walk to Crozet Hall, where they ate lunch with cadets and talked with them about career opportunities.

Cheatle shared that her team has gone on many recruiting trips to colleges and universities over the last several years, but their partnership with VMI is special. “One of the things that is instilled in VMI cadets is service to something greater than themselves. That is what we look for at the Secret Service. VMI has a little different atmosphere than what you’ll find on the typical college campus. The skills the cadets learn and develop, enabling them to grow into leaders, are the same skills

we use at the Secret Service,” she said. Cheatle is confident that the relationship with VMI will continue and expand. “There are many different career opportunities with the Secret Service. We encourage college students to establish their relationships with us early, even if it’s just finding a mentor or coach within the Secret Service who will talk to them and guide them with career paths. Internships are also available within our offices,” she said.

Jim Kingsley ’05, who majored in history, holds the position of assistant to the special agent in charge in the Protective Intelligence and Assessment Division, based at Secret Service headquarters in Washington, D.C. Before that, he was on the Presidential Protective Detail and traveled extensively throughout the world, providing protection to the president’s family. Kingsley stated that alumni can best relate to what cadets are going through because they have gone through the exact thing themselves. “A lot of the traits the cadets already possess, like camaraderie, teamwork, discipline, and attention to detail, carry over to the Secret Service, where we share a lot of camaraderie. Some of the greatest friendships

of my life I have made here at VMI, and it’s fun to come back and be able to talk to the cadets,” he said.

Cadet Kephner Etienne ’25, an electrical and computer engineering major from Bristow, Virginia, is interested in a career with the Secret Service. “My brother is [an] NYPD cop, and I always wanted to work for the FBI or Secret Service. I think they both have great opportunities. The Secret Service people here today all have positive attitudes, and they do a good job of recruiting. To be honest, they already got me last year. I think working with them in the future will be awesome,” he said.

After lunch, the group attended the VMI basketball game against The Citadel, where they were acknowledged as special guests of the Institute. The Keydets defeated the Bulldogs, 70-63.

The mission of the Secret Service is to ensure the safety and security of their protectees, key locations, and events of national significance. They also protect the integrity of the U.S. currency and investigate crimes against the U.S. financial system committed by criminals around the world and in cyberspace.

Kimberly Cheatle, U.S. Secret Service director, chats with cadets in Crozet Hall.—VMI Photos by H. Lockwood McLaughlin.

KEYDET FOOTBALL SCHEDULE 2024

KEYDET BASKETBALL 2023–24 SEASON RECAP

Though the 2023–24 VMI basketball season did not go according to plan, the program saw many positives and laid a foundation based on young talent that will benefit the growth and potential of the team going forward.

The highlight of the season arrived when VMI defeated rival The Citadel by a 70-63 score Jan. 20. The Keydets led by as many as 16 points in the first half but had to clamp down on defense the rest of the way as the Bulldogs tried to rally back into contention.

The schools battled back and forth as VMI led 46-45 with 10 minutes to play. On five separate occasions in the second half, the Bulldogs reached within one point as VMI held on to a 59-58 lead with 3:13 to go. The Citadel tied it back up at 59-59 at the 2:45 mark and earned its first lead of the game since the opening bucket, 60-59, moments later.

The victory was monumental for the Keydets as they earned their fourth victory of the season and first Southern Conference/Division I win of the year. It was also VMI’s 60th all-time win against the Bulldogs.

The Keydets were fortunate to have senior leadership from Devin Butler ’24, D.J. Nussbaum ’24, and Jake Johnston ’24. Butler put on a clinic in the game at Wofford, where he scored 20 points—a new career high versus a Division I opponent—to go with a career-high four three-pointers during the game.

Injured for much of his career, Nussbaum came on strong in his final year at VMI by ranking sixth in the conference in field goal percentage, shooting 54.5 percent. He earned a career-high 14 points twice during the year, including a hard-fought contest at Radford University in December. He also earned a

career-high nine rebounds against the University of North Carolina–Greensboro at home Jan. 31 and tallied a career-high two blocks against Samford Feb. 10.

Johnston, who will commission into the U.S. Air Force upon graduation in May, displayed strong leadership from the bench by supporting his teammates. He earned his first career start on Senior Day against Wofford March 2.

A.J. Clark ’25 and Maurice Wright ’27 came on strong in the final weeks of the season, as Clark scored 13 points at Mercer Feb. 3, and Wright showed his potential late by earning a season-high 13 points at Furman Feb. 14.

The VMI basketball program is in good hands under Andrew Wilson, second-year head coach, and looks to build on the foundation of stepping stones achieved during the 2023–24 campaign.

Devin Butler ’24 wrapped up his last season of Keydet basketball with a career-high 20 points in the game against Wofford College.—Photo courtesy VMI Athletics.

Rifle Wraps Up Successful 2023–24 Season

Following a season that featured multiple program records, Junior Olympic qualifiers, and appearing in the top 20 for the first time in program history, VMI rifle capped off its 2023–24 season with Lt. Col. Bill Bither named the 2024 Southern Conference Coach of the Year.

This marks the second time Bither has been named Coach of the Year, as he also earned the accolade in 2020.

Team Success

VMI rifle’s 2023–24 campaign has been a successful one, setting them up for success as they established new team aggregate records three times, most recently firing a 4598 at The Citadel in January. In the NCAA Qualifier at West Virginia, the Keydets

posted a program-best 2341 in the air rifle, a week after notching a new program high in the smallbore of 2276. The efforts led VMI to its first-ever top 20 ranking.

Individual Efforts

Christopher Hicks ’24 has continued his strong career, posting an 1170 aggregate in a win over Wofford. Hicks currently has three of the top four aggregates for VMI, and Ryan Harlow ’25 is tied for third with a score of 1159. Hicks’ best air rifle performance came against Wofford, where he posted a 590, owning the top three air rifle marks this season. While Hicks owns the top spot in smallbore as well, Harlow was just behind with a 577 back in October.

On the women’s side, Victoria Phillips ’25 has led the way for VMI, posting five aggregates of 1142 or better. Phillips led all VMI women shooters in the smallbore, while Laini Morgan ’25 had the top three air rifle scores of 590, 589, and 587.

Closing Out Conference

As a team, VMI finished fifth at the Southern Conference Championships held in Charleston, South Carolina. The women’s squad was just behind the mixed team, placing sixth.

The mixed team had the fourthbest air rifle score with 2319, with Harlow shooting the seventh-highest score of 577 in that discipline, a day after placing sixth in the smallbore. Overall, Hicks’ 1159 was the ninth-best

aggregate in the field.

A day after leading the VMI women’s squad in the smallbore, Phillips led all VMI women’s shooters in the air rifle, recording a 566. Katelyn Grochalski ’24 had a good showing in the air rifle, with her 587 tying for eighth overall.

Junior Olympic Qualifiers

The Keydets had five shooters earn qualifying marks for the Junior Olympic Rifle Championships held in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in April. Phillips (581) and Emma Cameron (576) qualified for the air rifle, while Zachary Mauriello (576) and Kyle Kemp (562) qualified on the men’s side. In the smallbore, Mauriello hit the qualifying mark with a score of 573.

In the 2023–24 season, VMI rifle was ranked in the top 20 programs and Lt. Col. Bill Bither, head coach, was named the 2024 Southern Conference Coach of the Year.—Photo courtesy VMI Athletics.

VMI Swim and Dive Caps 2023–24 Season with Multiple Program Records

The VMI swim and dive program continued to make great leaps under Scott Thacker, second-year head coach, hosting the America East Conference Championships in the state-of-the-art VMI Aquatic Center and breaking 26 program records in the process.

Falling Forward

VMI had a pair of home dates in the fall semester, scoring victories over New Jersey Institute of Technology and University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

Regular Season

The Keydets honored their 12 seniors before the meet against Washington and Lee, in which the men’s team nearly defeated the Generals, scoring a program-high 100 points (100-107).

On the women’s team, Walden Wilder ’27, who finished strong in the 200-meter individual medley all season, showed her prowess in the distance events, recording a new rat record of 4:53.51 in the Virginia Tech Invitational Feb. 3, 2024. Wilder was a key figure on various relays, alongside Jillian Maher ’24; Noelle Tong ’26; and Kate Taylor ’24, Three-Legged Stool recipient. Against Liberty, Maher claimed the 100-yard butterfly, while the quartet claimed first in the 200-yard freestyle relay.

On the men’s team, Ethan Griffith ’24 capped off his exciting season, in which he became the first Keydet to earn swimmer of the week honors since 2020. Tinn Nguyen ’27, Chase Lane ’24, Elijah Fields ’27, and Matthew Picard ’27 are all swimmers to

keep an eye on, as they teamed up for a second-place time of 1:35.12 in the 200-yard medley against American University. In that same meet, Nguyen placed second in the 100-meter backstroke, with Layne Tucker ’27 claiming first in the 100-meter breaststroke.

Diving Into the Competition

The meet against American proved to be a good one for VMI divers, and all set personal records, as Lane Jones ’26 scored 258.22, Ryder Creal ’27 scored 194.47, and Craig Swain ’25 scored 157.80 and finished 2-3-4 in the men’s 3-meter dive. The trio repeated their performances in the 1-meter. Ella Davenport ’26 has been a strong contender for the women, scoring two personal records of 148.20 and 166.86 in

the 1-meter and 3-meter events at American.

Making Their Marks

Taylor etched her name into the record books, becoming the first female in VMI history to swim a sub-24 second 50-freestyle relay split with 23.91, as she anchored the 200-meter medley relay at the America East Championship Feb. 14. The second day of the championship saw three records fall while day three brought 11 new marks for the Keydets. VMI capped off the championship Feb. 17 with notable performances, such as Picard’s team record of 45.49 seconds in the 100-yard freestyle and the time of 1:50.28 by Sam Castle ’27 in the 200-yard backstroke, marking a new team/ rat record.

The VMI swim and dive cadet-athletes broke 26 program records in the 2023–24 season.—Photo courtesy VMI Athletics.

INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD SEASON RECAP

Men’s Team

Women’s Team

The VMI women’s track and field team capped off a strong indoor season by placing sixth overall at the 2024 Southern Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships hosted by VMI at the Corps Physical Training Facility.

The Keydets came in sixth with 68.5 points over the two-day event, just 1.5 points behind fifth-place ETSU.

Eleyah Armstrong ’25 had a strong SoCon Championship by winning the long jump at 5.96 meters Feb. 24 to turn around and win the 60-meter finals the following day for the second year in a row. She earned a new personal record time of 7.44 seconds for the title and All-SoCon honors in both events. Armstrong also competed in the 200-meter and placed fifth overall in 25.35 seconds.

Taylor Hill ’26 won the pole vault individual title with a height of 3.82 meters, a new personal standard, to earn All-SoCon recognition and take the podium in first place.

Jenna Kirkland ’24 placed fourth in the weight throw with a new PR distance of 15.00 meters, her second day in a row of setting a new benchmark.

Julie Freitas ’25 placed fifth in the triple jump with a PR distance of 11.57 meters to earn team points for the first time in her VMI career.

The Keydets look to build on the strong finish at the SoCon Championships by continuing to push forward and improve at each event during the outdoor season.

The VMI men’s track and field team continued to show why it is one of the stronger programs in the Southern Conference by placing fourth overall at the SoCon Indoor Track and Field Championships hosted by VMI at the Corps Physical Training Facility Feb. 24–25, 2024.

The Keydets came in fourth with 109 points over the two-day event, just three points behind third-place Furman.

Keyandre Midgett ’24 highlighted the meet for VMI by placing first in both the long jump and the triple jump to be named the league’s Male Most Outstanding Field Performer for the second year in a row. He won the triple jump for the second straight year by posting a new personal best and CPTF record distance of 15.57 meters to earn All-SoCon honors.

Rafe Clendenin ’27, thrower, was named the league’s Male Freshman of the Year after he placed second in both the shot put and the weight throw to earn All-SoCon honors for both events. He placed second in the shot put Feb. 24 with a new PR distance of 15.18 meters; the next day, he turned in a new PR distance of 15.60 meters for second place behind teammate Andrew Granger ’24 in the weight throw Feb. 25.

Granger won the men’s weight throw for the second year in a row with a new PR distance of 17.46 meters to earn the individual title and All-SoCon recognition.

Liam McBride ’24, hurdler, again reset his own school record for the third time this indoor season in the 60-meter hurdles with a new PR time of 7.96 seconds, earning All-SoCon honors as he placed second in the finals. Nick Brown ’25 and Richard Edwards ’25 earned All-SoCon by placing second and third, respectively, in the 400-meter. Brown finished with a PR time of 47.74 seconds, while Edwards also earned a new PR of 48.21 seconds. The 4x400 team of Brown, Midgett, Edwards, and Xander Topos ’25 earned All-SoCon honors by placing third in 3:19.57.

Photos courtesy VMI Athletics.

Mathew Scott was announced as the new head coach of the VMI men’s and women’s cross country teams by Zack Scott ’89, VMI director of track and field, March 12, 2024.

Scott comes to VMI from Pratt Community College in Pratt, Kansas, where he served as the director of cross country and track/ middle and long distance coach from January 2022 to the present. Among many responsibilities, his

MATHEW SCOTT NAMED VMI HEAD CROSS COUNTRY COACH

principal duties were directing and coaching all aspects of the cross country and track and field programs; evaluating and recruiting student-athletes; and overseeing the planning, organization, and administration of practices.

“We are looking forward to Mathew Scott working with the distance group,” said Zack. “He will bring a solid background in not only distance running but also recruiting and connections to distance runners in the Midwest.”

From September 2019 to October 2021, Scott served as the assistant coach for the cross country and track programs at Ottawa University in Ottawa, Kansas, where he also had the title of recruiting

coordinator. In addition to his duties and roles associated with coaching, he served as an adjunct professor of exercise science while at Ottawa.

Prior to moving to Kansas, Scott was the Alderson Broaddus University cross country and track and field assistant coach in Philippi, West Virginia, where he also held the title of recruiting coordinator.

Scott worked as the middle/ distance coach and hurdles coach at Mobridge Pollock School District in Mobridge, South Dakota, from August 2016 through October 2018. During this time he also was employed as a special education paraprofessional for the district.

Outside of coaching cross country and track and field, Scott has held various positions ranging from park ranger to physical education teacher to athletic director at the high school level in South Dakota.

He holds U.S.A Track & Field Level One and Level Two certificates and is also licensed to administer CPR, first aid, and AED.

The South Dakota native earned his Bachelor of Science degree in exercise science from Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota, in 2008. He later attended graduate school at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, where he earned a Master of Science degree in sports science in 2014.

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.

Events

Central North Carolina –Raleigh December Senior Breakfast

Attending the Central North Carolina – Raleigh Chapter senior breakfast Dec. 19, 2023, are (seated, from left) Dick McFarlin ’51, Roger Rosenfield ’47, Ed Andrews ’70, Pete Shelley ’74, Kent Wheeless ’74, Will Bynum ’77, Dixie Walker ’70, Sam Hening, Rick Hening ’75, (standing) Becky Bray, Jane Walker, Glenn Garland ’75, Bill Gibson ’65, Parky Parkman ’66, Larry Wilson ’62, and Alan Tashima ’71.

Central North Carolina – Raleigh November Senior Breakfast

Central North Carolina – Raleigh Chapter members celebrating the 94th birthday of Dick McFarlin ’51 at their monthly senior breakfast Nov. 21, 2023, are (from left) Becky Bray, McFarlin’s daughter; Roger Rosenfield ’47; Alan Tashima ’71; Parky Parkman ’66; Paul Johnston ’61; Ian Foley ’05; Bill Gibson ’65; Larry Wilson ’62; Betsy Wilson; Rick Hening ’75; Sam Hening; Bill Murchison ’70; and McFarlin.

Central North Carolina –Raleigh January Senior Breakfast

Kicking off the new year at the Central North Carolina – Raleigh Chapter senior breakfast Jan. 16, 2024, are (seated, from left) Ed Roney ’60, John Kuchnia ’57, Becky Bray, Dick McFarlin ’51, Sam Hening; (standing) Larry Wilson ’62, Bill Gibson ’65, Rick Hening ’75, Barton Pasco ’77, and Chip Davis ’77. Ian Foley ’05 was present but not pictured.

Events

Central North Carolina – Raleigh

Attends Lacrosse Game

Cheering on the VMI lacrosse team Jan. 27, 2024, are Central North Carolina – Raleigh Chapter members Glenn Garland ’75; Rex Wiggins ’78; Rick Hening ’75; Mike Freeman ’78; and David McDonald, father of Luke McDonald ’24, lacrosse cadet-athlete.

Centex Chapter Celebrates the Holiday Season

Centex Chapter members celebrate the holiday season with a Christmas cocktail party at the home of Jeff Zeigler ’92 in Austin, Texas, Dec. 17, 2023.

Hampton Roads

Region Gathers for Founders Day

Hampton Roads Region members gather for their third annual Founders Day social at Back Bay Farmhouse Brewing in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Hampton Roads Region Holds Networking Breakfast

The Hampton Roads Region holds its first 2024 quarterly (third Thursday) career networking breakfast to connect local alumni seeking career opportunities in the region at Anchor Allie’s Bistro in Virginia Beach, Virginia, Jan. 18, 2024.

Midlands South Carolina –Palmetto Chapter

Cheers on the Keydets

The Midlands South Carolina – Palmetto Chapter members cheering on the Keydets at the VMI versus University of South Carolina game are (from left) Carl Hammond ’00, Tim McConnell ’73, and Larry Umberger ’65.

Hawaii Chapter

Celebrates Founders Day

Hawaii Chapter members hold a Founders Day celebration at Ko’olau Distillery, owned by Ian Brooks ’97, in Kailua, Hawaii, Nov. 11, 2023. Attending the gathering are (from left) Gary Rose ’91, Andy Miller ’05, Ian

Brooks ’97, Josh Strickler ’95, Billy Edmunds ’97, Mike McGraw ’88, Weldon Eddins ’62, James Vik ’02, and Gordon Powers ’02.

New England Chapter Celebrates the Holiday Season

New England Chapter members celebrate the holiday season and new year with a dinner at the Stockyard Restaurant in Brighton, Massachusetts, Jan. 3, 2024.

Pacific Northwest Chapter

Hosts Watch Party

Pacific Northwest Chapter members watch VMI beat East Tennessee State University in Olympia, Washington, Nov. 4, 2023.

Pikes Peak and Rocky Mountain Chapters

Host Maj. Gen. Wins ’85

Fifty-eight alumni, including alumni from Utah, New Mexico, and Wyoming, attend the Pikes Peak and Rocky Mountain Chapters evening with Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins ’85, superintendent, at Red Leg Brewing Company—owned by Todd Baldwin ’06, Alumni Association Northwest regional director—in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Nov. 21, 2023.

Events

Pikes Peak and Rocky Mountain Chapters Hold Ski Weekend

The Pikes Peak and Rocky Mountain Chapters hold a ski weekend in Breckenridge, Colorado, Jan. 26–28, 2024. The event included a Friday night reception at the home of Dean and Dawn Kratzenberg ’87, a full day of skiing Saturday followed by dinner at the home of Parke and Debbie Smith ’79 in Breckenridge, and then a tour and tasting at the Breckenridge Distillery Sunday. Attending the trip are Tim Haynie ’90, the Kratzenbergs, Bob Fricke ’78, Paul Hebert ’68, Creigh Kelley ’68, the Smiths, and Renee Hamilton.

Rocky Mountain Chapter Celebrates Founders Day

Celebrating Founders Day with the Rocky Mountain Chapter at Hacienda Colorado in Westminster, Colorado, are (front, from left) Melissa Daniels, Liam Daniels, Wyatt Daniels, Mo Levine ’57, Cindy Levine; (back) Parke Smith ’79, Karen Floyd, Max Floyd ’77, Roy Daniels ’14, Dana Daly ’07, Jay Donato ’97, Ingrid Donato, Amanda Dixon, and Rich Dixon ’97. Photo by Debbie Smith.

Rockbridge Chapter

Hosts Christmas Party

Rockbridge Chapter members enjoy entertainment from the VMI Commanders at their Christmas party in Moody Hall Dec. 3, 2023.

Events

Taiwan Chapter Celebrates Founders Day

Taiwan Chapter members celebrating Founders Day Nov. 11, 2023, are Chin Pu Chen ’85, Jinh Han Lu ’89, Peter Fang ’93, Gong Chou Chao ’96, Shi Tao Shyu ’96, Wun-Hoa Jai ’97, Chin-Chia Fan ’99, Wen-Jeng Huang ’99, Min Ching Jou ’02, Shu Hsiang Hsu ’02, Kuo Ruey Liang ’03, Hao Po Chang ’05, Aaron Wallace ’05, Kai Yi Shih ’07, Ching-Hang Chen ’11, Cheng-Wei Kuo ’12, Daniel Moerder ’12, Chung-Yu Liu ’14, Ming Chang ’16, Yi Han Chang ’16, Louis Lu ’16, Yueh-Sheng Lin ’17, Kuo En Cheng ’18, Luke Wang ’19, Mu Chi Lu ’19, Fang Da Liao ’20, Chun Yun Wei ’20, Miles Henderson ’21, Ching-Wen Yang ’21, John Wang ’22, Hao-Jen Wang ’23, Po Jun Jou ’23, Yan Tin Liu ’23, and Chin-En Hsiao ’23.

Wilmington Chapter

December Old Corps Breakfast

Attending the Wilmington Chapter Old Corps Breakfast at the Boat House in Wilmington, North Carolina, Dec. 5, 2023, are (from left) Dan Mulherin ’83, Greg Weaver ’79, Henry Brown ’60, Fred Ayers ’61, Harley Myler ’75, Tom Tolbert ’66, Robert Digby ’81, John Gangemi ’61, Andy Young ’74, and Arnie Leonard ’74.

Wilmington Chapter

January Old Corps Breakfast

Enjoying the Wilmington Chapter Old Corps Breakfast Jan. 30, 2024, at the Boat House in Wilmington, North Carolina, are (from left) Leigh Edmunds ’68, Tony Pileggi ’78, Henry Brown ’60, Tom Tolbert ’66, Bill Edmunds ’66, Arnie Leonard ’74, John Gangemi ’61, Harley Myler ’75, and Spruill Thompson ’84.

“Invest in the Future of the Corps” Call to Duty Scholarships Support Desire to Serve

By Mary Price, Development Writer

Scan the QR Code with your smartphone or tablet camera to learn more.

“We want to make VMI work for those who really want VMI to work, as well.” That’s what Lt. Col. Shannon Eskam, acting assistant superintendent for enrollment management and financial aid director, has to say about her office’s approach to providing need-based aid for current and potential cadets—and this is especially true for the Call to Duty Scholarships, a new initiative of the VMI Alumni Agencies designed to recruit and retain outstanding young men and women who plan to serve their country through military service after graduation.

The Call to Duty Scholarships, which are now supporting more than 80 members of the Class of 2027, cover room and board fees for cadets who have already been pre-selected through a competitive national selection process to receive a federal ROTC scholarship. Coupled with the ROTC scholarship, the Call to Duty Scholarship provides an unparalleled opportunity for the recipient to attend the Institute at no charge.

The Call to Duty Scholarships “help fill a niche that isn’t currently being funded,” Eskam explained. She noted that more and

more often, financial considerations are the deciding factor in a high schooler’s college choice—and before Call to Duty, some potential cadets were choosing to attend other schools that offered scholarships for room and board.

With a new Office of Admissions focus in early 2023 based on recruiting ideal candidates to the Institute, support for room and board scholarships became key. Happily, the VMI Foundation Board of Trustees stepped up to help cover the $1 million per year cost—but to eventually cover all classes currently in barracks, the Foundation will need to raise an additional $4 million per year above and beyond current giving levels.

“We want to attract those best and brightest who have competed for and been awarded an ROTC scholarship,” said Meade B. King ’85, VMI Foundation chief operating officer and Alumni Agencies director of advancement. “We want them here. We want them in our barracks, on our post. We ultimately want them to be VMI alumni.”

Cadets who’ve received the inaugural Call to Duty Scholarships overwhelmingly express one emotion—gratitude—and many say that without Call to Duty, they wouldn’t have been able to choose VMI.

With an unstable housing situation in his senior year of high school, Cadet Ben Fong ’27 wasn’t sure if he’d be able to leave his native California for college, much less come all the way across the continent to VMI.

“That was the biggest worry [in] applying for colleges,” related Fong, who plans to commission into the U.S. Marine Corps. “If I got accepted to these colleges, how would I actually be able to attend? ... I was just really hoping that I could figure out the math behind the money.”

When Fong heard that he’d been selected for the Call to Duty Scholarship based on his merits and potential, the relief and gratitude were overwhelming. “I was thinking, man, they really care about their scholarship students,” said Fong. “So, I just thought, wow, I haven’t gotten to the school yet, and they’re already thinking about me.”

Cadet Zachary Denton ’27 was likewise relieved to learn that a Call to Duty Scholarship could clear the way to a VMI education and a military career. Denton, who plans to commission into the U.S. Army, had long wanted to follow the same path as his father, an Army colonel. He’d found VMI through an older friend who was already a cadet there, and while he liked what he saw, he was also contemplating another school.

Noting that the Call to Duty Scholarship was “pivotal” in his decision to attend VMI, Denton felt the same relief as Fong that his college ambitions could be realized. “The goal of VMI is to give the best and brightest officers to our various service branches,” he stated. “Enabling them to not have to worry about the financial part of it as they go through this journey, I think, is a really great thing.”

For his part, Denton will never forget the day he learned that he’d received the Call to Duty Scholarship—and his own VMI journey began. A high-demand candidate, there were other colleges offering enhanced military scholarships, but VMI’s program helped him secure his top choice.

“I talked to alumni, and I talked to current [cadets] here, and I was more and more excited about the prospect of going here,” he said. “Seeing the Call to Duty Scholarship, my last little bit of reservation got wiped away. I knew where I wanted to go when I saw I had that scholarship.”

For the Institute’s ROTC programs, the impact of Call to Duty has been immediate and easy to measure. In Naval ROTC, Col. Travis Homiak ’95, commanding officer, reported that typically, he’d see 25 to 30 names appear on his roster each year, and historically, about

16 of those individuals would matriculate at VMI. For the Class of 2027, there were 33 names—and 28 matriculated.

“In today’s environment, everybody is trying to recruit the same man or woman to come to a school like this,” said Homiak. “And [Call to Duty] is something that we must have to compete on an equal footing. ... I think Call to Duty is a great place to consider [for supporting VMI] because it invests in the future of the Corps.”

What’s more, Homiak noted, the Call to Duty Scholarships align perfectly with “Forging 21st Century Leaders,” the strategic plan recently put forth by Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins ’85, superintendent, and endorsed by the VMI Board of Visitors.

“It’s that bid to get individuals, quality individuals ... to choose VMI in the first place,” Homiak stated. “It is completely in line with the strategic plan that the superintendent has laid out of continuing VMI as a place of academic rigor and academic excellence. And I think one of the first things you have to do is bring in top-tier candidates. And that’s what the Call to Duty [Scholarship] does.”

For his part, King sees the Call to Duty Scholarships as fundamental to supporting and furthering the citizen-soldier ideal—an ideal that’s stood the test of time since the Institute’s founding almost 185 years ago.

“When you think about the words inscribed in the parapet, you get to the place about peril and vindicating her honor and defending her rights. Well, these Call to Duty cadets bring their ROTC scholarship and are met with our Call to Duty Scholarship. They’re precisely the kind of students who will step into peril to both vindicate and defend our nation. That’s a beautiful thing. That’s VMI. That’s the spirit of it.”

To support the Call to Duty Scholarships, visit VMIalumni.org/calltoduty. Checks, made out to the VMI Foundation with “Call to Duty” on the memo line, can be mailed to the VMI Alumni Agencies, P.O. Box 932, Lexington, VA 24450.

A “Divine Intervention”

It’s an awfully long way from a chicken processing plant in central Pennsylvania to the Turman Room in Preston Library, the meeting place of the VMI Board of Visitors—and the distance isn’t just measured in miles. Incredibly, though, it’s a path that Kimber Latsha ’77, J.D., traveled on his way to becoming a Board of Visitors member, going from a working-class childhood to a successful career as a healthcare attorney and strong advocate for VMI.

Latsha, who served on the Board of Visitors from 2009–17 and is a current member of the VMI Foundation Board of Trustees, never once dreamed as a child of the path his adult life would take. He was a first-generation college student, and the circumstances that brought him to the Institute were so random and happenstance that Latsha credits “divine intervention” for bringing him to VMI.

“I really do believe that God orchestrated these events to provide an opportunity to me and intervened in my life and that He continues to do so,” said Latsha.

A longtime Institute Society member, Latsha is passionate about sharing what VMI did for him—and just as passionate about giving back so that current and future cadets might have the same opportunity he did.

“I could never have afforded to go to Virginia Military Institute,” he stated. “We were relatively poor, but I didn’t know that.”

Growing up with his four siblings in the small farming community of Dornsife, Pennsylvania, Latsha always thought he’d be a teacher and a coach because those were his role models. By high school, he was wrestling and playing football, and after high school, he planned to accompany his girlfriend to a small teacher’s college not far from home. Latsha’s future seemed assured—until, as he describes it, “God intervened.”

Playing as the quarterback of the football team, Latsha was injured during a game in October of his senior year and had to visit the family doctor. The doctor just happened to be

By Mary Price, Development Writer Latsha ’77:

Dr. Richard Stark, then a member of the VMI Parents Council and the father of Mike Stark ’74. During the visit, the physician asked his young patient what he intended to do after high school. When Latsha told him about the teacher’s college, Dr. Stark mentioned VMI.

Intrigued by this school he’d never heard of, Latsha asked some questions and was happy to learn that both a history major and a commission into the military were possible at VMI.

“All of my life, I’d loved history,” Latsha related. “I read a lot of military history. I grew up playing Army, loved military history. ... A light went off in my head.”

As the visit wrapped up, Dr. Stark told Latsha that he’d write a letter of recommendation for him. Then, Latsha had a sobering thought. He asked the doctor, “How much does it cost?” To this day, Latsha hasn’t forgotten the response, as Dr. Stark told him that if he really wanted to go, money could be found—but an application would be the first step.

Once accepted to VMI, Latsha learned that his parents’ income would qualify him for a number of grants. Once he’d maxed out the number of grants he was eligible for, it was time for a job—and that’s where the chicken plant came in, as his parents lived paycheck to paycheck and couldn’t afford to contribute to the cost of college.

Working after school and over the summer, including some overtime and double shifts, Latsha earned over $1,000, an amount equal to $6,775 today. With his earnings in hand, he was just $1,300 short of the amount needed to enroll at VMI. A federal student loan covered that amount, and soon, Latsha was headed to Lexington to matriculate with his brother rats.

“I believe that was a divine intervention because it really changed the trajectory of my life and in an astronomical way for me, and opened up doors that I didn’t even think I could explore ... or even have the opportunity to knock on,” said Latsha of the chain of events that brought him to the Institute.

After that first summer in the chicken plant, money never stood between Latsha and a VMI diploma. “After my first year, [VMI] found a way to get money to me over and above whatever grants the federal and state government gave to me because of my financial situation at home,” Latsha explained. “The margin between that and the cost of VMI was made up by the Institute, but for a couple hundred bucks, which I could make every summer.”

With Stark as his dyke, Latsha rapidly found his place at VMI—and by the time his 2nd Class year began, he wasn’t the only Latsha in barracks anymore, as his brother, Kirk Latsha ’79, had matriculated and had joined his brother on the wrestling team.

Over the four years of his cadetship, success after success came Latsha’s way. He was elected president of his class—a role that Latsha calls “the greatest honor of my life”— and received the Superior Cadet Award in the Army ROTC program during his 1st Class year. In addition, he received the Valor Bronze Cross for Achievement and was co-captain of the wrestling team his 2nd and 1st Class years.

At graduation, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in history, Latsha was honored as the recipient of the Second Jackson-Hope Medal for Academic Achievement and the Randolph T. Townsend Award, which is given to the first standing graduate in the history curriculum.

Latsha doesn’t see himself as someone naturally brilliant—rather, the Institute’s environment, with the leveling effect of the Rat Line, created ideal circumstances for him to thrive.

“I’m a very competitive person naturally,” he explained. “And so, you put somebody in an environment that tears them down, like the Rat Line does, and give everybody a buzz haircut and put them in the same uniform and say, ‘you’re starting from scratch,’ ... I wanted to prove that I could do this, and so I worked hard and developed a passion to learn. Once you love to learn, learning is easy and fun.”

Midway through his cadetship, Latsha began to think about law school, and he wound up receiving a scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh Law School. There, he encountered classmates who were constantly lamenting the onerous workload of studying law—but to Latsha, accustomed to balancing multiple demands at VMI, law school was a step down in difficulty.

“[Academics] were all I had to do,” he explained. “Law school was relatively easy for me.”

After graduating from law school, Latsha served on active duty with the Judge Advocate General’s Corps from 1981–84. Assigned to the staff judge advocate of Fort Gordon, Georgia, he served primarily as a prosecutor, and because the post was exclusive federal jurisdiction, also as a special assistant United States attorney. Upon completion of his service, the Army awarded him its Meritorious Service Medal. After active duty, Latsha served for five years in the U.S. Army Reserve.

Moving into private practice, Latsha started his own firm, Latsha Davis & Marshall, P.C., where he established a national reputation as one of the leading healthcare attorneys in his field, centered on the growing industries of post-acute care, continuing care retirement communities, and long-term care.

Away from work, he was instrumental in efforts to establish the VMI Alumni Association’s Central Keystone Chapter.

Today, Latsha still remembers the sense of unreality he felt when he received a call from Paul Maini ’66, then-Alumni Association executive vice president, inviting him to join the Board of Visitors.

“To be asked to serve on the Institute’s board,” he recalled. “I would look up at those guys when I was a cadet, and never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d ever serve on that board.”

Throughout his time on the board, Latsha served on two committees: The Academic Affairs Committee and the Appeals Committee. Latsha was the chairman of the latter committee from 2012–17, and under his leadership, the committee reviewed and reformed the Honor Court’s standard operating procedures. Latsha also advised those who served as the superintendent’s representatives to the Honor Court and acted as a mentor to numerous members of the Honor Court. In addition, he was vice president of the board from 2012–17.

Latsha’s desire to give back is motivated not only by his own experience of being offered more opportunities than he’d ever dreamed possible but also by the bedrock values of VMI that have remained constant over the decades: A commitment to honor, the leveling effect of the Rat Line, and classical liberal arts education.

“I think it brings the best out in people, and when you mold them into a VMI woman or man, instilled with honor, integrity, noble conduct, putting others ahead of self—self-sacrifice, endurance, and perseverance. ... I think that’s still taught and cultivated at VMI, and our country needs to encourage and preserve those values desperately.”

Why Join the Institute Society?

By Kimber Latsha ’77

As the 50th anniversary of the Institute Society approaches, I hope you will consider joining me as a member. As alumni, we share the common bond of the formative VMI experience, for which we are all thankful. Being a member of the Institute Society provides an opportunity to express our collective gratitude in a tangible manner that supports the efforts of VMI and the Corps itself to forge cadets with the leadership characteristics of integrity, honorable conduct, self-sacrifice, perseverance, and service—traditional values that we all esteem and which are greatly needed in our culture today.

The combined philanthropy of nearly 900 members of the Institute Society supports the ability of VMI to operate from a financial position of strength, and more members are needed to preserve that position of financial strength, which is essential to the VMI mission and legacy of developing honorable men and women prepared to lead. By giving to VMI and, if financially feasible, joining the Institute Society, we have the opportunity to set an example of generosity and support that will serve as an encouragement to cadets and enhance their VMI experience. I encourage you to take advantage of the opportunity to give and to join the Institute Society.

Kimber Latsha ’77 leads an Old Yell for the Class of 1977 at the 45th Reunion in fall 2022.

KEILTY ’83, KEILTY ’86:

VMI Values that Last a Lifetime

By Mattie Montgomery, Assistant Editor

Brothers Kevin Keilty ’83 and Tim Keilty ’86, who were the first of their relatives to attend the Institute, share a familial legacy of military service, work ethic, and generosity, and a common reason for choosing the Institute: According to their father, it was the only choice.

Looking back, Kevin and Tim found accord between their family’s values and the demands VMI placed on them that, in part, shaped them into the individuals they are now. Today, by creating a scholarship for cadet-athletes,

the brothers want to impact VMI and the futures of hardworking cadets in a way they would get to witness in their lifetimes.

Kevin, a retired U.S. Navy pilot of 21 years and Memphis, Tennessee, resident who is now the FedEx managing director of flight operations, flight technology, and regulatory compliance, was inspired to follow the path of his older brother, who was a Navy pilot. From their father, who served in the Navy during World War II, to their great

Raised in a family of seven children, brothers Kevin Keilty ’83 (left), of Memphis, Tennesee, and Tim Keilty ’86, of Fredericksburg, Virginia, were the first of their family to attend the Institute.—Photos courtesy Keiltys.

uncle, who received a Navy Cross for airmanship in World War I, the Keilty brothers come from a long heritage of military service—a legacy they proudly note continues into the next generation with multiple family members, including their nieces and nephews, who all served or are presently serving.

The Keilty brothers first came across VMI when Kevin was looking for college ROTC programs to pursue the Navy. After visiting post, Kevin said his dad “had made a decision that it was a really good place for me; and I remember thinking, ‘Yeah, I’m not so sure.’” And Tim’s story of his VMI enrollment is quite similar. Under the pretext of a family visit to see then-cadet Kevin, an unsuspecting Tim found their father had a few additional ideas about their trip to the Institute. “I found myself in Smith Hall interviewing … and two hours later being welcomed to VMI,” said Tim. “There are five boys and two girls in our family— and dad once made the statement that had he toured VMI when the first son went off to college, we would have had five graduates of VMI,” said Kevin with a laugh. For all their jests, their father’s strong impression that the Institute was right for his sons would prove true—not only because of Tim and Kevin’s success post-graduation but also because it emphasized the principles of hard work and leadership imbued in their family’s values.

After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics, Kevin commissioned and began his 21-year career as a Navy pilot. Throughout his Navy career, Kevin served in many varied leadership roles, including as a flag aide and an assistant navigator of an aircraft carrier, a tour in the White House, and as a commanding officer/task force commander flying combat missions over Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. Meanwhile, Tim, who is also the Class of 1986 president, graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and commissioned into the U.S. Air Force. After 8 years—two active and six inactive reserve—Tim transitioned into the construction industry, and in 1994, he was a founding partner of BridgeTek, a marketing, manufacturing, and pre-engineered bridge solutions company. After 11 years of growth and offices in 40 states, BridgeTek was acquired by Contech Engineered Solutions. Tim has served many leadership roles with Contech, including strategic markets vice president and area vice president, and he currently leads the Contech Structures commercial business in the eastern United States from his home in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

in their VMI experience remained with them in their careers. “The biggest takeaway I valued my whole career is trying to figure out what the priorities for the day are, and that carries over in how you grow in business and strategic planning,” said Tim. Leadership was their second major takeaway from VMI, especially the lessons of the Rat Line. Kevin said he learned the value of “taking care of your people” and leading from the belief that everyone is equal and deserves fair treatment.

Of course, to meet VMI’s demands and succeed in these skills at the Institute and beyond, a third merit was needed—work ethic—and, as Tim said, that was already “in the family DNA.” Their childhood observations of their hardworking parents and grandparents who overcame challenges and lived generously with little laid the groundwork for their cadetship and futures.

“In creating their scholarship, Kevin and Tim wanted to uphold these lifelong values that connected them with the Institute and, after their own experience, to get the chance to ease the financial burden of college on cadetathletes.”

In creating their scholarship, Kevin and Tim wanted to uphold these lifelong values that connected them with the Institute and, after their own experience, to get the chance to ease the financial burden of college on cadet-athletes. Having seen their father’s generous gifts to schools after his passing in 2017, the brothers also decided they wanted to give back to VMI and see the fruits of their gifts during their lifetimes. Kevin and Tim’s participation in and love for VMI sports made an athletic scholarship a natural decision, especially since they know what is required of a cadet to manage all of the demands of the Institute, academics, and their sport. “I felt like being able to do this and just take—even if it’s not a lot per year per student—some burden off of them and their family financially was a great way to make an impact,” said Kevin.

While they had consistently been giving back to VMI through the Keydet Club, the brothers wanted to make a larger impact and see the positive impact in the present. “By setting something up in perpetuity, we thought we could put our efforts together and have a bigger number that could bring more value and make that splash now instead of when we’re 80,” said Tim. When Tim approached Kevin with the idea, he was in. “What really struck me was the ability to do something while I’m still alive and see it. I looked at what my dad did, and he was very generous [with] what he did, but he didn’t get to see what the end result was,” said Kevin.

Coming from a family of seven children with their dad working a government job, Tim and Kevin’s margins were tight when they attended the Institute, so they took out loans and worked jobs on post throughout their 4 years. Even still, both brothers managed to find time to play sports, with Tim playing baseball and Kevin playing water polo. The time management and prioritization skills required to meet daily academics, military training, sports, and work demands

In their support of VMI, the Keilty brothers sustain the values and legacy of a VMI education and those of their family. They have also enjoyed watching their VMI connection extend to their nephew, Jack Keilty ’10, a Navy Blue Angel, whose VMI journey has further tied their family’s heritage with the Institute. Reflecting on what keeps them connected to VMI, Kevin concluded, “It doesn’t matter whether you go back to the Institute every year, every 10 years, every 20 years, every 30 years ... it’s a part of you. It is a part of me, a fond part of me, that has shaped who I am today.”

DAY OF GIVING SURPASSES GOAL

By Mary Price, Development Writer

Thanks to an overwhelming show of support by members of the VMI family, VMI’s 2024 Day of Giving, held Feb. 29, raised $272,646 for the benefit of the Corps of Cadets.

Billed as “An Extra Day for VMI” because of the leap day date, the Day of Giving attracted 1,148 donors. The overwhelming majority of gifts—83%—came from alumni, with the remainder of the day’s strong support provided by parents, friends, and faculty and staff.

“Every year, we have the ability to make a positive impact on the Corps of Cadets,” said Andrew Deal ’12, VMI Keydet Club chief operating officer and Alumni Agencies chief development officer. “The Day of Giving presents an opportunity for the VMI family to rally around and unite to make a difference. It was very encouraging to see the level of support that we received and know that we, collectively, will make a difference.”

A robust social media presence in the days before the campaign resulted in more than 120 early gifts, and once the campaign kicked

off, gifts poured in with regularity. By noon, the original goal of 500 donors had been surpassed. By mid-afternoon, the next goal of 700 donors had been easily met, and even the final goal, 839 donors, was achieved well before midnight Feb. 29.

Supporters had the opportunity to direct their gifts to one of eight areas: Unrestricted giving, academic excellence, cadet life, Call to Duty Scholarships, scholarship enrichment, athletics, the Center for Leadership and Ethics, or a gift to a specific scholarship, team, etc. of their choice.

Of those, the largest number of donors, more than 375, chose unrestricted giving— an area of critical need because unrestricted funds can be allocated quickly to the areas of

greatest need. A gift to the area of the donor’s choice was the second most popular choice, followed by athletics, scholarship enrichment, Call to Duty Scholarships, cadet life, academic excellence, and the Center for Leadership and Ethics.

As an incentive for friendly competition and participation, the classes with the highest participation and the highest dollar amounts raised were offered the chance to have their class year on Moe’s jersey during home football and basketball games. With 113 donors, the Class of 1993 won the participation challenge, while the Class of 1991 took top honors in the highest amount raised category, with $16,663 raised.

Throughout the day, members of the VMI family could watch the campaign’s progress online and via social media. By midnight Feb. 29, donors from 47 states and many foreign countries had shown their support and belief in the critical importance of VMI’s mission.

Class Notes

1944

Jonathan Safrit ’10

The Class of 1944 wishes to congratulate the Class of 2024 on their graduation. Eighty years earlier, the Class of 1944 would’ve been walking across the stage, as well, if the events of World War II hadn’t scattered the class from the skies of Europe to the beaches of the South Pacific.

The Institute’s most senior alum, Bob Smothers, is doing well in his 101st year and is staying busy to the best of his ability. It is always a pleasure to hear from Bob, and I continue to hope I’m half as able as he is if I ever catch up to him. I’ve thought about Bob and several of his brother rats recently with the release of the television mini-series, “Masters of the Air.” It follows a group of airmen through their experiences in Europe. Hundreds of VMI men, like Bob, had similar experiences, and it gives terrific insight into the horrific scenes many of them were witness to. I consider myself so lucky to have met so many of those aerial fighters from that time. Truly a different breed.

That’s all for now, but as always, I remain available to the friends and family of ’44, and I’d love to hear from you all.

Wishing the best for a pleasant and safe spring and summer.

1946

David M. Hudock ’97

1949A

Paul Munson ’87

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

1947

Paul Munson ’87

Class of 1949A,

It is my duty to report I am no longer able to continue as your class agent. Any news or questions can be directed to the Alumni Agencies at 800-444-1839. Thank you for the opportunity to serve you.

(Editor’s Note: The new class agent for 1949A will be Jonathan Safrit ’10. He can be reached at 276-732-1441 or safritjs@gmail.com.)

1949B

Ding Patton

Class of 1947,

It is my sad duty to report the passing of two members of the class. Patrick Bowditch passed away Nov. 19, 2021. Mr. Bowditch was living in Essex, Connecticut, when he passed. He attended VMI for one year.

Guy Evans passed away Sept. 14, 2023. Mr. Evans matriculated from Arlington, Virginia, and after serving during the war from 1944–46, he graduated with the Class of 1949A. He would have graduated with ’47 had he not left to serve our country. A copy of Mr. Evans’ obituary is noted in the Taps section. It is also my duty to report I am no longer able to continue as your class agent. Any news or questions can be directed to the Alumni Agencies at 800-444-1839. Thank you for the opportunity to serve you.

1948B

Lisa Tracy

These notes cover the period from Nov. 16, 2023–Feb. 15, 2024.

Inga Van Hook sent a note with her Christmas card. She had spent Christmas in 2022 with her family in Munich, Germany, and celebrated with over 70 of her sisters, brothers, nieces, and nephews. In October, she was able to travel to the Outer Banks in North Carolina and enjoy the sea air, sun, and seafood. She said that she was happy to report she was still as active as a 95-year-old person can be. She resides at the University Village community in Charlottesville, where she says that, with the help of her caregivers and four daughters, she is able to overcome the challenges “advanced old age” presents and is indeed blessed.

Barbara Bradley also sent a Christmas letter with her card. Harvey suffered a stroke in July 2022 and has some short-term memory loss and mobility issues. He uses a walker all the time. In early 2023, they moved to a gated community near the Chattahoochee River. From their fifth-floor condo, they have a view of the river. In February, Harvey celebrated his 95th birthday, attended by his four children and five of his six grandchildren. Barbara said she had a significant birthday this year but didn’t mention which one it was. In addition to caring

Class of 1944: Bob Smothers and Mei Kitchen enjoy a Valentine’s Day dinner.

for Harvey, she takes care of a 14-year-old Chihuahua and a 9-year-old cat and enjoys time with their two youngest grandchildren.

Greg Nelson is helping me arrange our 75th Reunion, so we speak frequently. He and Kitty are healthy and enjoying life at the Westminster Canterbury community in Richmond.

Tommy Altizer called from his Florida condo and is playing either golf or tennis most days. He says the weather there has been the worst he has experienced and expects to be back in Staunton to attend our reunion in April.

Charlie Hurt is still working to complete his 1,110-acre development in Charlottesville. I think he may be the only one of us who is still working, although Jim Enochs claims to be, also.

Virginia Cooke lives near Lexington. She recently sent a photo of her with David Bruce ’94 and Grant Eddy ’99, who are her nephews. The picture is included in these notes. Virginia has been faithful in keeping in touch, and I wish other widows of our brother rats would, as well.

Mary Price at the VMI Alumni Agencies notified me that our Brother Rat David Ameen

Class of 1949B: In Richmond, Virginia, in November 2023 are (from left) David Bruce ’94, Virginia Cooke, and Grant Eddy ’99. Bruce and Eddy are Cooke’s nephews.

passed away Jan. 30, 2024. He matriculated from Hopewell, Virginia, where he lived most of his life. David was at the Institute for a year, after which he went to the U.S. Naval Academy. Upon graduating, he served in the U.S. Air Force for eight years and then was employed for 16 years at the U.S. Army Logistics Management College at Fort Lee (now Fort Gregg-Adams). He earned a Ph.D. in mathematical economics from the University of Maryland in 1974 and took a position in information systems at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Business, where he taught for 20 years. He conducted a weekly Bible study for 30 years and was very active in public service in his church, state, and community.

Thanks for your Christmas cards. In November, I was diagnosed with some virus that they couldn’t identify, and Nobbie and I both had COVID-19 in December, so we got behind in preparing for the holidays.

By the time you receive these notes, the 75th Reunion will be history, and I hope to have more news to report next time.

God bless America, VMI, and ’49B.

In the Bonds, Ding

1950A

Garrett Smith ’20

lot—a lot—of snow. By the lack of responses from you and by what was said by the few who did reply, it sounds like most folks decided to just hole up at home and try to stay warm. I don’t blame you.

A photo of John Berberich and Jack Lanford ’52 was sent to me by John’s son, Jake Berberich ’76. Jake often sends me little tidbits about his father because John and I were roommates for three years. John and Jack and their families were good friends for many, many years. As the story goes, John was first “introduced” to Jack during our 1949 inaugural parade for President Truman. Jack (in rat year) was marching behind John (2nd Class) and stepped on John’s heel, which elicited a rebuke from John. And so, the acquaintance began.

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

1950B

Robert F. Lynd

Once again, it’s time to send greetings to all. By the time you read this, the winter should be a distant past. But at this writing, winter has been very much with us. Much of the country has had record lows, and some have had a

Some years passed, and John was the town manager of Lexington. Jack was also living in Lexington. John’s pregnant wife, Gloria, went to the doctor for a checkup. Jack’s wife was also there. The two ladies met and discovered their husbands knew each other, and so began a lifelong friendship between the two families. Over the years, the children of each family became good and close friends.

What’s the point of all this? It turns out that one of Jack’s daughters, Mary Lanford Price, is now at the VMI Alumni Agencies and is the one to whom I send my quarterly articles. Once she learned that I was a roommate of John, she and I became friends via our email traffic. Further, when I get to our reunion, I will be making a point of having a face-to-face with her.

Tommy Kirk said they did “absolutely nothing” during this winter quarter except staying in good health, playing golf, and visiting the

Class of 1950B: Jack Lanford ’52 (left) and John Berberich attend a VMI football game in fall 2008.

gym. As of his writing, he and Ann were planning to spend the month of May in Italy “for old times’ sake,” he said. So that means, by the time this issue is distributed, they may well be in Italy.

Have to say, that makes me kinda jealous. We spent a wonderful five years in Italy. I was assigned to AFSOUTH just outside of Naples, and in addition to enjoying Italy, my two children were able to complete high school via the DOD school system. Later on, Nancy and I had a couple of bicycle tours in parts of Tuscany and Reggio Emilia. Marvelous food and people.

I think I reported before that Braxton and Judith Green left their longtime home in Staunton and moved into the Commonwealth in Charlottesville. Brax has been having problems with his back, which has affected his walking, so it seemed like a good idea to make the move. When we were talking, he sounded upbeat about the move. Is he going to have to start rooting for the Cavaliers? Maybe he will find out if UVA really “sweeps the streets.” I remember we used to sing about that, but did anyone actually see them doing it?

It was sunny but 19 degrees in Lafayette, Louisiana, when Randy Trappey wrote that Louisianans are not familiar with such North Pole conditions. Being pretty much housebound these days, Randy said not much is going on. He is comfortable and is being well taken care of by some wonderful people.

Got a distressing report from Bert Jolly He was recovering from a bad fall the day after Christmas, which resulted in a broken right hand (saluting hand!), lots of cracked ribs, and skin tears. The splint on his hand was to come off the day after he wrote, and because of the great wound care nurse, his skin healed well. He didn’t mention how his ribs were, but I assume they are better.

Got a surprise call from Sal Vitale ’61 to tell me he was going to visit Steve Abramedis Turns out Steve, who was an OB/GYN doctor, was Sal’s wife’s doctor. Sal is moving to the Annapolis, Maryland, area, which is where Steve lives. So, he can see Steve more often. Sal had been looking at the February issue of the Alumni Review, where I mentioned Steve. I told him I hadn’t received my copy yet. He was surprised, so I had to explain, as I have to you all. By the time the stagecoach gets the Alumni Review to Albuquerque and then the Pony Express has to carry it another 200 miles to Roswell—well, I’ll be lucky to see the latest Alumni Review by the

end of February. Sal and I had a good chat. He’s the class agent for the ’61s and has been for 50 years, he said. We exchanged class agent issues and gossip. Very enjoyable.

Sadly, we lost some folks during this quarter. Norma, widow of Tommy Kelly, passed Nov. 14, 2023. More recently, Fred Kniesler departed Jan. 19, 2024. Just before submitting this article, I was informed of the passing of John Taylor Jan. 28, 2024. So, by my reckoning, that leaves us with 24 brother rats—caveat: 24 for whom I have some contact information, e.g., postal address or phone number. So, there may be some who are lurking in the shadows, as yet unknown.

You may be surprised to know that we have some brother rats who don’t do email. Yes. Can you imagine that? I hear, “When I was working, my secretary handled all that stuff. After I retired, if I had an email address, my wife pretty much took care of that. Oh, I take a look at it once in a while.” The common short response is, “I never had occasion to use it.” Of course, the whole point of email is to get a message from one to some other one or several in short order. I know—I know—it’s a case of old dogs and new tricks. C’mon. Really?

Oh, back to my rosters. If I add in the distaff side, our widows—sister rats—my mailing list goes from 24 to 55. And it turns out that I get pretty good responses from some of these ladies. Harken!

That brings me to Dick Coupland’s widow, Carole. She had a heart attack last fall, which resulted in a triple bypass. Ugh! Said she’s OK now and could possibly get to a reunion. She sends me email tidbits quite often.

Also, in a note, Ajax Mitchell’s widow, Nancy, said she likes the idea of a reunion but wants to bring her family along as she doesn’t drive anymore. I rather think a reunion would give her a good excuse to come to Lexington, bringing Ajax’s ashes to inter them in Oak Grove Cemetery, which she’s been wanting to do.

Jones Felvey said he’s up for a reunion. In addition, he noted, and I quote, “VMI, on a number of fronts, is making itself known. Recently, the contrast between Harvard kids rioting and our ‘considered’ approach shows outstanding leadership. VMI is far ahead of our time there, and so much the better!”

Oh, Bert Jolly said flat-out that he is not looking forward to a spring trip to Lexington in 2025. But I’m hoping he feels better about it once he’s all healed. He did recall that he went to a reunion in 2019 of his medical class at UVA.

Of the six in the class, only three remain: Him, Razor Blaydes, and Max Feinman ’49B

At the last minute, Mitch Lawrence sent a quick note saying he would do his best to make it to the reunion and to keep him posted on any details.

Reunion? You are aware that our 75th anniversary is coming up next year, aren’t you? I’ve been pinging on you about it for a while now. The Alumni Agencies has already set the dates for our reunion as April 14–15, 2025. I have been told that office will be setting up all the details, meaning they will select a hotel and reserve a block of rooms, plan the banquet, etc. Of course, we would have to arrange our own transportation to and from Lexington and make our own reservations in the hotel. COVID-19 cheated us out of our 70th. This is a make-up opportunity. So, what do you think? Will you be going to Lexington for probably our last time? Do you want to assemble around the little guard house and give an Old Yell for ’50B? I reckon I’m to be the funnel between us and the Alumni Agencies. The Alumni Agencies needs to have some idea so they can plan for how many rooms to put on hold. You have a little less than a year from the time you read this to decide. But don’t wait too long. So, what do you say, fellas? Hey, if Mitch Lawrence, our oldest living at 96, says he’ll do his best to make it—how about you? Let me know as soon as you can after reading this. Not much to report this time. Heard from only a few, and I must admit to my laziness. I’m still distraught that my ’Niners lost to Taylor Swift. But I am awed by the concurrence of Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday. I’ll just leave you with the words of the iconic Clint Eastwood, “Don’t let the old man in.” Hold on to that, gear up for a reunion, and keep the red, white, and yellow floating on high!

¡Hasta la próxima vez!

1951

Ursula Baxley

I sent out an appeal for news Jan. 31, 2024. These very brief notes were written Feb. 14. I received news of John Nolley’s death. I know he came to the 70th and was always so much fun.

Bounce Carstens wrote that he and Jim

Enochs “correspond once or twice a month. We hope to get together for Memorial Day weekend in Dallas for the Colonial golf tournament, as we have done for the past few years, to be joined by Pete Philp, but things are still in the planning stage. I am still going to work every day but doing less and less and trying to play golf two or three times a week. Played today for the first time in a month. The weather has been bad for golf. I did send Dick Cole an email congratulating him on his forthcoming marriage but don’t know if he got it or not. Hang in there!”

I heard from Dick Cole, and he is very happy. Please send me something for the next issue.

God bless all of you, and God bless VMI.

1952

Mary Lanford Price

Dear Class of 1952 Family,

Thank you for all of your letters, emails, and phone calls! It’s been a delight to hear from so many of you this quarter, and for some of you, it was our first correspondence. Please keep reaching out—I so enjoy hearing from everyone associated with the great Class of 1952.

I have many updates to share, so let me just dive in and get started. In December, I received a very nice email from Dr. Andy Dickinson, who began his note with, “Challenge to get much news out of 93-year-old Keydets!” He and his wife, Mary, still live in their own home in Virginia Beach, Virginia, with their four children nearby. He also noted that all four

children and 11 grandchildren graduated from the same high school. Talk about a rooting section at high school sporting events! The Dickinson family must fill the bleachers.

Dr. Dickinson also recounted some memories of playing golf at VMI: “BR Willcox Ruffin and I played on the VMI golf team for all four years. He played No. 9, and I was No. 10. I never saw a match, nor did I ever play in a match, and Coach B.D. Mayo ’09 never gave me a tip! But I loved the game and got out of marching and got to dine with real athletes like your father (Jack Lanford). ... Spent four years under the gun with the famous ‘Doc Carroll’ in pre-med. He once said that ‘VMI was founded on the banks of the Maury and run on the same principle!’ after which he

would spit into his spittoon! I loved VMI and all the great friends I made at VMI. Still get to see Zeke Finney and Willcox Ruffin and also ’54 rats George White ’54, Jock Wheeler ’54, Lewis Drake ’54, and Johnny Mapp ’54—still trying to get them straight!”

Next up is retired U.S. Marine Corps Col. John Roche of San Diego, California. He wrote that he is still recovering from a shoulder replacement but is now back to his favorite activity—swimming. He worries about the current situation in the Middle East. “I taught political science for 20 years and loved it, but glad I’m not in the classroom now,” he noted.

I also heard from Ann Carman, a native of Lexington (daughter of longtime VMI English professor Col. Carrington Tutwiler) and widow of Minor Rogers. A fun fact to share with you all: I am the same age as Ann’s daughter, Liz, and Liz and I were in the same Sunday school class as children. Unfortunately, Ann had sad news to share: Her son-in-law (Liz’s husband) died suddenly Aug. 6, 2023, at the age of 55. Ann, we are so sorry for your family’s loss!

She wrote, “Thank you also for your lovely VMI Christmas card. I have great memories of going to see the parades as a child—feel sure you did, too! And of going to a few dances, though always with blind dates! They didn’t necessarily work out very well, but that was part of getting through the teen years!”

It was also a delight to hear from Rem Simpson, as he and I had not corresponded before. He wrote, “I am doing OK. I’m a six-year widower living in a private home on the grounds of a retirement home in Easton, Maryland, where I grew up. I don’t seem to have any life-threatening ailments and am pretty active. I am still driving and am fairly mobile on foot. Happily, I am able to participate in the life of our community. I belong to the Chesapeake Bay Yacht Club, where I eat lunch almost every weekday. I have very little contact with any of my BRs except that I do have a phone conversation with BR James P. Miller once every month or so. He lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma.”

I also found out how Mr. Simpson spent his working years. I asked, and he replied, “I worked for the [Virginia Department of Highways, now VDOT] for several years in Fairfax, Virginia, before becoming director of public works for the City of Fairfax. A home builder enticed me to come work for him, and I did so before starting my own homebuilding company building high-end homes and later office

Class of 1952: The license plate on the car Anita Phillips inherited from her parents, Red and Eugenie Austermann.

Class of 1951: The cake from Dick McFarlin’s 94th birthday celebration in October 2023.

Class of 1952: Ernestine Bridgforth celebrates Mardi Gras with friends in Louisiana in February 2024.

condominiums. I liquidated my company in 1988 and retired.”

Charlie Hogge of Plano, Texas, also responded by email to the birthday card I’d sent. He wrote, “Thanks for becoming our class agent for ’52 upon Jim Mecredy’s retirement. I am really enjoying your happy birthday card— with the Corps on parade and House Mountain in the background! Considering that I have reached the age of 92, I am in good health, thanks to some very fine heart doctors. Last fall, I had three stents installed, followed by vascular heart surgery to replace the heart valve. I attribute my longevity in part to my weekly visits as a certified longterm care nursing home ombudsman. I began training for certification in March 2009. It gives me a sense of purpose, and I highly recommend it for all who are retired. Fortunately, the nursing home where I am assigned is well run, so I have had very few complaints needing my attention.”

that he is “still hanging in there,” which is very good to hear.

Mr. Hogge, thanks for the update! I am glad to hear that you are in good health and still giving back to your community. Your nursing home oversight sounds like an ideal way to stay active and keep making the world a better place.

I enjoy hearing from Dr. Jim Wiley of Richmond, Virginia, by both email and text. Shortly before Christmas, he wrote, “Thank you so much for your recent Christmas greeting. At the moment, all is going well, although we are ‘slowing down.’”

I also hear regularly from Henry Nanninga of Savannah, Georgia. In January, he contacted me because he couldn’t get in touch with Jim Mecredy, former class agent, who is now living in an assisted living facility in Evans, Georgia (near Augusta). I reached out to Jim Mecredy’s son, Dave Mecredy ’78, and got an updated phone number for Jim Mecredy, which I then shared with Henry Nanninga and Jim Wiley. I know Dr. Wiley was able to reach Jim Mecredy, and they had a nice chat. If any of you would like to have Jim Mecredy’s phone number, please let me know, and I will share it with you.

I also spoke very briefly with Zeke Finney in early February, just a few weeks before his 94th birthday. He sees Willcox Ruffin and Andy Dickinson occasionally, as all of them live in Tidewater Virginia. Mr. Finney told me

Langhorne McCarthy of Lynchburg, Virginia, widow of Joe McCarthy, is a faithful telephone friend, and I’m always glad when she calls. She sent the delightful photo that accompanies these notes of herself and her great-grandchildren at the beach last summer. I welcome photos to accompany these notes; if any of you would like to submit a photo by email, please reach out to me, and I will be happy to walk you through the process. Photos can be sent through the U.S. mail, as well.

I was very happy to receive a Christmas card and letter from Mary Shoaf, widow of Dr. Charlie Shoaf. Mrs. Shoaf reports that she is doing well but laments the increased traffic near her Vero Beach, Florida, home brought about by snowbirds who’ve decided to settle permanently in the Sunshine State.

I also received very nice cards from Estelle Gordon, widow of Bill Gordon, and Barbara Wellford, widow of Army Wellford. If you sent me a card and I did not acknowledge it here, I apologize! There’s a lot to keep track of in December, as you well know.

Sadly, I must report the passing of three ’52 widows. Esther Mae Bowman Caudle, widow of Bobby Caudle of Roanoke, Virginia, died Feb. 8, 2023. I did not learn of her passing until late last year—thus the delay in getting this news out to all of you. I also heard that Mrs. Eugenie “Genie” Austermann, widow of Bill Austermann of El Cajon, California, died Nov. 7, 2023, just shy of her 98th birthday. Anita Phillips, daughter of the Austermanns, shared the sad news via a Christmas card and

also told me how much her parents had loved VMI. She wrote, “When women were admitted to VMI, my father wondered why would a woman want to go there. My mother wondered why anyone would want to go there. I can report, however, that I am now driving my parents’ old Civic with its VMI license plates!” Anita very kindly supplied a photo of that license plate which accompanies these notes. Lastly, I was informed in early February that Shirley Buchanan of Chesapeake, Virginia, widow of Dr. Robert Buchanan, died Jan. 30, 2024. May all the departed rest in peace—and a special thanks to the family members who informed me of their passing.

As always, please feel free to reach out to me whenever you have news to share or even if you’d just like to chat. I wish you the very best for the spring and summer.

’52, ’52, ’52!

1953

WilliamC.NoellJr.

Brother Rats and Our Widows:

As I start these winter class notes kind of early this time, there are around 5 inches of snow on the ground, and the temperature stands at 10 degrees this morning—not my kind of weather, but at least I am not at our lake house in Tennessee, as there is much more snow there—10 inches and at zero. Last Christmas Eve, all the pipes under the lake house froze with a wind chill factor of -22 degrees while we were in Lexington.

But a much sadder subject is that we lost two BRs in January—John Gilbert and Bob Cheatham. For many years, John lived outside of Lexington on his farm off U.S. 11, where he and his wife raised cattle. Judy and I visited them a few times, and we saw John at VMI functions. As his hearing deteriorated, he did not like crowds, so we saw him fewer times at VMI. After his wife died, he later moved to a retirement facility in Staunton, where Frank Spencer was also at that time. A private graveside service was held outside Richmond.

Class of 1952: Langhorne McCarthy, widow of Joe McCarthy, with the couple’s great-grandchildren at Emerald Isle, North Carolina, in summer 2023.

Bob died in the Charlotte area, a few miles from one of his daughters’ homes, where he had moved to a retirement facility recently from Summerville, South Carolina (Charleston area). At his passing, he was only briefly in the hospital, and his chapel and burial service were in Salem, Virginia, next to his wife, Bebe. Both were from the Roanoke area. Judy and I attended the service. The chapel service was very nice, and his grandchildren read scripture, but the graveside short service was very cold—snow on the ground, 33-35 degrees, and a very strong wind. It was a nice gathering of Bob’s family saying goodbye. I am very glad Judy and I were able to be there for the final goodbye to a very good friend and BR. The last time we visited this cemetery area was for Doug Andrews’ services back in January 2009 at the cemetery across the road. Judy and I will miss our BR Bob very much—we have stayed at their home outside Charleston, South Carolina, several times, as they have stayed with us here in Lexington. When in South Carolina, I have gone shrimping with Bob in a nearby river, as well as digging up oysters and attending VMI versus The Citadel football games. Bob periodically called me on the telephone to question something he heard/read that was going on at VMI. So, now we have lost 10 BRs since our 70th—Bob Cheatham being the only one who attended. This leaves us only 34 BRs— and of course, all of us are in our 90s, with some of us not in the best shape. I have started my 37th year as your class agent, and still with “no takers!” Our adopted cadet, Weston Gloger ’19, BR Art Moncrief’s nephew, was married Feb. 10 in East Texas. The wedding was to be in Hannah Sue Wilison’s, his fiancée’s, yard and was planned to be under a special tree. However, from photos and info from Weston’s mother, Kim, it rained night and day; thus, the yard was quite wet and muddy. It was a very elaborate formal wedding under a large tent with 200 guests and seven bridesmaids. Photos showed some of the wedding party barefoot in the mud, many with umbrellas, and it was said some vehicles got stuck and had to be pulled out with tractors. It is certain a wedding all will remember. Weston

and Hannah did get off for their trip to Cancun. Weston is now waiting for orders to report to the U.S. Navy in California and plans to be a Navy SEAL. Hannah plans to join him when the school term ends. If you recall, Weston did not graduate from VMI until December 2022 due to family problems. We were invited to the wedding, but it is quite a distance for us these days. Regrettably, we finally decided to forgo the trip. Susan Moncrief had invited us to spend a couple of days at Art’s and her ranch after the wedding.

Our granddaughter, Addie Jay Beacham, attended her first VMI dance, Ring Figure, with Matthew Pitts ’25 of Glen Allen (Richmond). She had a great time and enjoyed it very much. Matthew is working in his spare time as a paramedic at the Lexington Fire Department, and she knows him through our Methodist Church. Judy and I received a very nice note from Win Koontz in response to mine to her after Warren’s passing. They enjoyed 66 wonderful years together, which Win says was such a blessing.

A Christmas card from Betty Woodward said she was in Lexington for Founders Day, as well as the Christmas parade Dec. 1—which passed by her side yard of their Lexington house.

The Christmas card from Frank and Lois Wooten invited us to stop by for a visit the next time we are in Tidewater.

We received a nice letter in Bob Cheatham’s Christmas card—his last letter—and told about how he liked his studio apartment and retirement facility of a year in Charlotte. Bob was 92, 10 days before me, last April. An email from Lois Wooten said that Frank had fallen down 14 steps in February, ended up in the hospital, and had to have brain surgery— not yet fully recuperated. They spent Christmas in South Carolina with three sets of grandkids. Now, Frank has pneumonia but has obtained medicine from their doctor.

I had a long talk with Jeff Bane just before he went out to dinner with a friend to the Pegasus Restaurant in Richmond. Jeff said he has seen Bill Atwill and Warren Koontz there in the past. We have been going to an

Class of 1953: Addie Jay Beacham, granddaughter of Bill and Judy Noell, attends Ring Figure with Cadet Matthew Pitts ’25.

Class of 1953: Ronnie Haywood celebrates his 92nd birthday with a family dinner at Anna’s Pizza in Poquoson, Virginia, Oct. 8, 2023.

Class of 1953: Pictured in Key West, Florida, are (from left) Judy Noell, Bill Noell III, Tracy Noell, John L. Noell ’84, Judy Noell, and Bill Noell.

Italian restaurant at Short Pump when we were in Richmond, but we will have to try Pegasus next time. Jeff is getting around OK on his walker, as he was at the 70th, and is still in good spirits. At the 70th, Jeff is the one who yelled, “On to the 75th,” as I came down from the sentinel box. Breakout was Tuesday, Feb. 6, so we now have 4th Class Cadet Connor Haines ’27 from Tennessee, as well as 3rd Class Cadet Charlie McLauglin ’26 as our adopted cadets. They normally go to church with us then spend Sunday afternoon with us, having to be back in barracks by 8:30 p.m.

I certainly hope that you and your families got off to a good and pleasant start for this new year of 2024. Judy and I spent New Year’s Eve at the lake, driving down from Lexington on New Year’s Eve in time for our lake group’s celebration that night at the club house of the adjoining residential area. However, the day before, we drove to Richmond and back for a Noell family after-Christmas lunch. My four sons and their wives and my sister from North Carolina with one of her sons and wife were there—a very nice gathering. For a bonus, my son, John Lee Noell ’84, married his gal of years, Tracy Howell, in Norfolk the day before our lunch—no fanfare or family. As for Christmas itself, we had our usual Lexington family Christmas Eve dinner (Virginia oysters and Virginia country ham) at the Woodduck house after all attended the Methodist church Christmas Eve service together. This year, for a change, we had Thanksgiving with our Beacham family at the Tennessee lake house instead of in Lexington. It was very nice having everyone together for several days instead of just the Thanksgiving meal. We also had one of our neighbors as guests, and as a bonus, they cooked the turkey for us—a great treat! However, the week before was our big trip this year—to Key West. We flew to Orlando to my son, John Lee, Friday; picked up my oldest son, Bill, and Judy in Fort Lauderdale Sunday; and the six of us drove on to Key West. We had a great time there; the weather was very good, and there was excellent dining, lots of sightseeing, and walking. One of the most interesting sights was the butterfly house, where live butterflies of many species fly around as you walk through—some landing on you as you tour the facility. It was a very beautiful experience. Both sons have been to Key West before, so they did great showing us around for our first visit. We left Thursday, taking Bill and Judy back to fly out of Fort Lauderdale, and we stayed

Class of 1953: Weston Gloger ’19 and his wife, Hannah Sue Wilson, at their wedding in east Texas, Feb. 5, 2024. Gloger was one of Bill and Judy Noell’s adopted cadets.

Class of 1953: Members of the Corps ride a train to Alexandria, Virginia, for the VMI versus George Washington University football game in September 1950.

with John Lee and Tracy in Port Orange until Saturday. Monday, we had to depart to be ready and drive to Tennessee for our family Thanksgiving. Institute trivia: In the ’50s, the entire Corps took a Corps trip to a football game each year.

I think the two main ones I remember: (1) Going to the GWU football game in Alexandria, Virginia, our 3rd Class year at my high school

(George Washington) stadium. I was sent up to the General Committee by an upperclassman for drinking a Coke while walking across the back of the field from the concession stand to the bleachers—a “no-no” until you were in the stands, but it was kind of a past habit from going to games there at my high school—my first penalty tours. The memorable thing for this trip was taking the chartered train out of east Lexington to Alexandria. It was a great and fun trip and beat the other years’ bus Corps trips. The rat year Corps trip was to Richmond to the first Tobacco Bowl. The memorable event about this trip was that roommate Pete Cox cajoled two very good friends of his in Richmond into coming to VMI next year to come up with 11 blind dates for his BRs. Tommy Williams ’54 and Claiborne Terry ’54 succeeded very well, but of course, Pete had warned them that if they did not, they would pay dearly for the failure in the Rat Line when they arrived at VMI. That evening after the game, we all went to some night spot in the Richmond area called The Plantation and partied and danced with our dates. As far as I can remember, we all had a great time—after all, it was our first time out of the Institute since matriculation Sept. 12.

1954

We received a note from Carl Hammond ’00, president of the Midlands South Carolina –Palmetto Chapter of the VMI Alumni Association, about BR Wendle Snapp Wendie has moved into a memory care facility at The Palmettos of Parklane in Columbia, South Carolina. Ann Snapp says that he is doing well.

BR Lt. Col. Bob Moore has passed on. He was 87 and died Jan. 1, 2020, in Dayton, Ohio. Bob was born in Lynchburg, Virginia. He served for 20 years in the U.S. Army. That service included three tours in Vietnam. He is survived by his wife, Shelia.

BR Bob MacGregor wrote. He and Mari recently celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary. They enjoyed a cruise last year on the mighty Mississippi and visited Vicksburg National Military Park, as well. In July, Bob attended the Caux Round Table meeting in Caux,

Suisse. While there, he spoke on leadership and business ethics. As has been reported before, Bob is a former chairman of the Caux Round Table.

Thanks to all those who fought against the removal of Moses Ezekiel’s [’866] monument to the Confederate dead from Arlington National Cemetery. The monument has been dismantled in part, but there are still 482 Confederate dead and their spouses buried in Section 16 at Arlington. Their graves are formed in concentric circles. This reportedly was done to signify Southern efforts at reconciliation after the Civil War. The area is comprised of 3.5 acres.

BR Billy Kingery sent news of his standing in the U.S. Tennis National Adult Tournaments Age 90+ rankings. (Was Billy sent to Earth from the planet Krypton like Superman?) Billy is ranked No. 3 nationally. He plays in the Mid-Atlantic Section Virginia District, in both of which he is ranked No. 1. An inspiration. Clint Eastwood advises us not to “let the old man in”—pretty good advice.

For laughs and to help keep the old man out, I Google old movies. Yesterday, I laughed at W.C. Fields, nee William Claude Dukinfield, in one of his great comedies, “The Old Fashioned Way.” Fields was also an internationally acclaimed juggler. Looking up and reading his quotes is also fun. He is reported to have said (paraphrasing), “Once during Prohibition, I was forced to live for days on nothing but food and water.”

That’s all, folks.

1955

Response has been rather thin this time, so I must conclude that all is going well in the class. I’ll look forward to your responses for the next edition.

Class rings: I got an anguished call from one of our brother rats saying he had lost his class ring and wanted to know how to replace it. He

will remain nameless at this time. When we got our rings in 1953, I was under the impression that Herff-Jones was going to maintain the dies as long as a member of the class was alive and that stones would be tightened for free. I know that my own ring was damaged years ago, and I returned it for stone tightening and resizing, which left me ringless for about a month. However, it now appears that Herff-Jones no longer provides these services. Our BR claims to feel naked. I am asking on his behalf if anyone has a class ring they might be willing to sell to our semi-nude BR, size 10 or 11, to contact me at the address shown above, and I will pass on the information to him.

Bill Nolley says that by the time this Alumni Review is printed, we will be a step closer to our next reunion. While he was cleaning out some of his VMI files, he came across a letter dated April 5, 1972, from Daniel Ogle ’63, then-Keydet Club executive manager, which asked for the origin of the title “Keydet” and had gotten a report attributed to Col. “Sam” Heflin ’916. The report said the term was common in his cadetship and quoted the following from the 1914 Bomb, “The hiss of pouring rain filled the ears of the first ‘Keydet’ out of the hay;” from the 1920 Bullet, “Colloquial for cadet; wicked specimen of humanity;” and from the Bomb of 1923, “The term ‘Keydet’ is used twice to describe men in the Corps.” There were others, courtesy of Col. Heflin, who said that he believed the term “Keydet” just grew as a colloquialism used to, perhaps, separate us from West Point cadets. The 1922 Bullet says, “It was our way of pronouncing it.”

Bob and Mary Ellen Beale report they are now living at the Williamsburg Landing retirement home. There are several VMI graduates from other classes there, also. They are both in good health and looking forward to the 70th Reunion.

Joe Brenner sent some sage advice along with some memory joggers of our days at VMI. For those of us experiencing the effects of very low temperatures, it may be helpful to remember winter ’51–52. Then, while on guard duty or at a remote post or lucky enough to have been selected for the “window closing detail,” one might have felt the nighttime chills of House Mountain as they breezed through “our home away from home.” Those were the days, my friends. So much for a quick warmer-upper. I am always reminded of the lake effect snows and winds in the Rochester, New York area, where my roommate, Pete Haake, assures me the climate is quite friendly to him. Meanwhile, I’d recommend a dry gas additive to your fuel line if you are contemplating a drive along the New York Thruway this time of year. “Corporal of the guard, post No. 3.”

I had a long phone call from Chuck Ritchey, who is stashed away in Texas. We exchanged stories of our time at the Lexington Presbyterian Church and his adventure of growing up on post under the watchful eye of Gen. Kilbourne ’894. Ben Semmes sent in material written by one of his grandchildren through artificial intelligence. (My note: A special place will be set aside at our reunion for bragging about grandchildren. Also, can you imagine the caustic remarks about AI from Col. B.D. Mayo ’909?)

In the shadow of VMI’s stoic spires

Where challenges rise like relentless fires, First-year cadets, a journey profound, Navigate trials on hallowed ground.

Rat Line echoes with footsteps bold, Struggles untold, yet stories unfold.

Uniformed ranks in disciplined array, In Lexington’s embrace, they find their way.

Barracks walls witness trials endured, Discipline’s crucible, where strength is assured.

Mental fortitude, a constant ally, In the crucible of VMI’s sky.

Echoes of training on Parade Ground, Echoes of courage in silence found.

Class of 1954: Cadets commissioning into the U.S. Marine Corps in spring 1954 take the oath administered by Gen. Lemuel C. “Lem” Shepherd Jr., Class of 1917.

Barney Lawless

Class notes

First-year cadets, resilience in their stare, Forge bond of brotherhood, a fortress rare.

Through the crucible of the Institute’s lore, They emerge transformed, tested to the core.

First-year trials, a baptism in steel, At VMI’s helm, where character congeals.

Helen and I are still kicking, but we’ve had to give up Scot country dancing. My VMI tartan kilt is now ready for mothballs.

Taps has sounded for Frank D. Newman and William S. “Bill” Shea

1956

There is currently no class agent for the class of 1956. Please contact Norma Robinson at nrobinson@vmiaa.org if you are interested in filling this position.

1957

George Sydnor Jr.

Howard Lawrence

The Virginia Military Institute: An uncommon purpose!

The notes from the clarion call from El Comandante Elmore echoed across the hinterland, coast to coast, east to west, south to north ... the sounds of “sound adjutant’s call” from his trusty trumpet. Snapping to answering the call were Ron McManus, Martin Andersen, Don Coombs, Tony DiCesare, Mo Levine, Curly Mason, John Paganelli, and Nick Kallelis

Team Caller No. 3: Don Coombs talked with Lew Diuguid at great length. He is living in a continuing care retirement community, Rowland Park Place, in Baltimore and says he is in shaky health dealing with diabetes and a recalcitrant prostate but is tolerating both as well as can be expected. His three daughters recently convinced him to discontinue driving, which he finds “hard to live with.” Lew then lightened up and told me of a woman who had recently caught his eye; he

made a quick move, and now they are companions. I then reminded him of some of his exploits in Daytona Beach with J.T. Parks, to which he complimented me on my memory but then said, “Some things are best forgotten,” one episode in particular to which we are both sworn to absolute secrecy. I then had a short but nice conversation with Carter Fox as he was on his way to “balance” class. Carter said he was getting along as well as could be expected, living in a Lutheran-based continuing care retirement community entity in

Class of 1957: Betty Mixson points to Joe Mixson’s name on a plaque in memory of class members in Memorial Garden at the 50th Reunion in April 2007.

Class of 1957: Randy Pendleton was recently inducted into the Hall of Fame by the Retreads, a Charlottesville, Virginia, senior softball league.

Mount Pleasant, much the same as we have here at Brandon Oaks in Roanoke. Carter knows the place well, having originally been from Roanoke and said to be remembered to John Whittle. I was unable to talk with Lionel Hancock but had a lengthy conversation with his wife, Carole Lee. Lionel has suffered from an advanced case of dementia and has spent this past Christmas and New Year’s in the hospital. He is home now, sleeps a lot, but still recognizes her and their daughters. He is in self-denial about the extent of his illness to the point where Carole Lee now finds it necessary to bring in nursing assistance. I talked with Milt Hargrave for over 30 minutes—same old ebullient Milt, even though he hurt his back changing implements on his John Deere tractor but doing well otherwise for his “advanced” age and is still self-sufficient. We talked about the famous cannonball incident. He still has the blue blanket “they” used to haul said cannonball, some 10 inches in diameter, up to the 4th stoop. Dropping it off into the old courtyard, a fall of some 25 feet and a loud thump revealed the cannonball had buried itself some five inches into the turf. Little is it known, but the courtyard was a target of opportunity ... the primary target being ... again, we are sworn to secrecy. I repeatedly tried to reach Mark Doty but to no avail, so I had to leave him a voicemail with greetings from his brother rats. I was successful in reaching Bill Gay and had a great conversation with him. He and wife Frances are still living in St. Louis in a high-rise with their two Yorkies. Bill said, “Looking out the window of my office to a beautiful sunny day, and the world is OK.” We talked about what we had taken out of the VMI experience and how it had had a profound positive influence in/on our lives ever since. We even reminisced about the time we met after a Citadel football game in Charleston while entering a restaurant restroom at the same time. We hadn’t seen each since graduation. So, Bill is “alive and kickin’” and sent his best to all BRs, as he headed out of the door, Yorkies in tow, to take them on their daily constitutional walk. Last but not least, I had a lengthy conversation with El Comandante himself, Ben Elmore. He and wife Damaris are both doing fine, still living in their home of 45 years in Tallahassee. “Ben is Ben” … stories galore, “crazy” as ever.” It was great to share stories of the past, in particular the similarity of how we found our partners for life!

Team Caller No. 4: Tony DiCesare had a good call with Kirk Hubbard, and although Kirk sounded great, he said he is struggling with edema and cardiac issues and trying hard

to work them out. He is in the process of selling his home of many years in the Farmville area and will be moving to North Carolina to be with one of his daughters. Carl LeBourdais is feeling well and works out daily. Presently, Carl is doing some nursing duties for his wife, Mary, who had a stroke recently. Glad to report she is recovering well and has a very positive attitude! Mo Levine reported he had and enjoyed a successful career in medicine doing hand/tumor surgery and, in the last 20 years, a lot of trauma cases. He is now fully retired and sounded very upbeat. Tiger Locke said he was in good health and had nothing particularly exciting to report; he had taught for over 50 years at the college level and recently did a little acting, which he very much enjoyed. Tiger remains very grateful for his experience at VMI, which he says has allowed him to live his life to the fullest. It was sweet to speak with John Kuchnia, who lost his wife, Loretta, to pancreatic cancer a little over a year ago. John has a deep and abiding faith in God, which has helped him carry on, and he remains actively involved with his church. He had a rewarding career as a facilities engineer with the state of North Carolina but made sure he found time to travel extensively with Loretta. And reference to page 48/49 of the most recent issue of Alumni Review shows John representing the Class of ’57 well with the Central North Carolina – Raleigh alumni chapter. Unfortunately, I was unable to reach Tommy Hunter, John Kilday, or Frank “Gus” Kline, but left messages with all, wishing them well.

Team Caller No. 8: Nick Kallelis talked with Charlie Smith, who said he is doing OK, but unfortunately wife Elizabeth is not so well. He is her care provider, doing all the chores and taking care of whatever needs to be done. I mentioned the possibility of a gathering at the Roanoke Country Club, and Charlie said he would like to join us and see brother rats that he hasn’t seen in some time. He sends his regards to the Roanoke crowd, especially John Whittle, with whom he has been friends for untold years. Joe Spivey is doing well. He and wife Ann are back in Richmond to be close to family in our “sunset” years ... Joe says, “Time ain’t on our side.” We had a lengthy conversation; always nice to talk with “the Spivo.” I recalled that Joe had once told me he and his family used to take one month each year to visit a different state, and they saw all 50. John St. George (aka Saint) could not be contacted, so I left a voicemail wishing he and wife Betty well with greetings from the class. The same was true for Garland Sullivan (aka Sully),

and so I left him and wife Sally a similar message. I did manage to talk with P.D. Phillips, who said he also had been trying to make contact but had not been successful. Jack Trant said he was doing well but not doing much these days. I mentioned the reunion in 2027, and we hope to see each other and all brother rats in attendance at that time.

Team Caller No. 5: Mo Levine talked with Curly Mason, who said he and wife Darrel were fine and very happy with their present living conditions, their health is good, and they enjoy life to the fullest. After a successful career, Curly is still active in VMI activities, both at the Institute, sporting events, and the Institute Society, and in the state legislative body. His wife, Darrel, has been active in the Virginia Law Foundation. They both enjoy traveling to baseball spring training in Florida to watch the Yankees, Red Sox, and the Nationals. During that time, they plan to visit with John “Pags” Paganelli and his wife, Diane, snowbirds from Rochester seeking warmth and sunshine in Fort Myers, who share their interest in spring training in the baseball world. Curly and Darrel feel fortunate that their children and grandchildren all live close by in the Richmond area. Arthur “Art” McCrary Jr.: After graduating from VMI with a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering, Art had a very successful career as an electrical engineer at McDonnell Douglas before he retired and said he has done “nothing” since. (Smile.) He and his wife, Rose Marie, have four children and four grandchildren, who are all doing well. They have been living in California and the Las Vegas (Henderson) areas for the past 60 years. Art says he has actually moved east from his birthplace, Corregidor Island, Manila Bay, where his father was stationed at the time. His twin brother and classmate, Jim McCrary, unfortunately, passed away 20 years ago in March 2004. Ron McManus sounded good and said he has adjusted from the passing of his wife, Patty, in June 2023 and is doing OK at this point. After graduating from VMI, Ron spent six years in the Army Armor, honorably discharged with the grade of captain. Then, he settled in and around Lexington. He worked at Randolph Macon in the administration department for 21 years and then moved to VMI as a colonel and director of post services for another 21 years. He has two children, a son, Ron McManus Jr. ’84, and a daughter; four grandchildren, of which two attended the Institute, grandson Ron Grant McManus ’09 and granddaughter Ashley McManus ’17. Ron closed by saying his travels have been limited in the past 10 years due to the maturing factor, so he now

spends his time reading. I was unable to reach Phil Miller, Joe Moody, and Bill Moore but left voicemails for each with greetings from their brother rats and hoping all was well with them.

In a call with Paul Muldowney, he summarized his post-VMI life as follows: Got married, got a job, worked 47 years to support his family, retired ever since to enjoy extended family and to travel until health issues surfaced about three years ago.

All children are doing well. Paul and wife Harriet “Lovie” have 20 grandchildren, one grandson who is a VMI grad in the Class of ’21 and is now a submariner ... you just must be proud. Paul sounded strong on the phone, later to be substantiated by a card to George that went as follows: “I happened to be at the Hagerstown, Maryland, YMCA doing my daily workout with my 65th Reunion cap on. A young man approached me and asked if I went to VMI. He then said he did, too—Class of 2014. Then he added that he hoped I would not take offense at his comment but that I was the oldest graduate he had ever met. I replied that it was very nice and then said, ‘Get your friggin’ chin in.’” A true story, said Paul. Guy G.E. Murray and I, unfortunately, are a “bit” hard of hearing. I am probably more guilty of that “crime” than are most of us. Rosalie, his wife of 37 years, was kind enough to help with both sound and clarity. G.E. was a pilot in the Air Force (No. 1 in his flight school) and Virginia Air National Guard. After retiring with the grade of captain, he went to work with his dad at the family-owned Chevrolet dealership in Bedford, retiring finally about eight years ago. He and Rosalie still live in Bedford, which, as we all know, is home to the acclaimed National D-Day Memorial. At the end of the call, Rosalie said she felt that things were going reasonably well with both of them; they are happy.

Team Caller No. 6: Curly Mason reported on the “rainmaker” John “Jay” Musser, who advised that he and wife Sonja have been busy traveling from their home in Irving, Texas, to keep up with their hordes of children and grandchildren. And there are two new “grands,” bringing the total to 24. Christmas was celebrated in Chesapeake, Virginia, at a daughter’s home where 20 of the family were gathered. Last summer, the gathering at the Outer Banks, North Carolina, totaled 40. Jay also advised that the very good news from him was that he is now clear of prostate cancer. I had a great chat with George Niedermayer, who said he was looking forward to his youngest daughter’s wedding this year and is proud of his grandson, who is studying at the University of Southern California. George had been

in contact with Russ Davis and Pete Riddle until their respective passings. George and wife Helen live in the center city of Philadelphia, where he maintains a garden. They are doing well, and he absolutely loves the urban feel of the city; not only that, but a big surprise to me is that I discovered he lives two houses away from Ted Robb, who was my boss while I was state director of HUD. Small world, indeed. John “Pags” Paganelli was reached in Fort Myers, where he and Diane spend about four months each year to get away from New York’s cold weather. For whatever reason, they no longer revel in Rochester’s dreary winter weather of cloudy days on end, augmented by deluges of snow from the “lake effect.” He plays golf three or four times a week (instead of shoveling snow) with a handicap range of 17-21! He did mention that Nat Pendleton’s widow, Chris, was the curator of the Ford-Edison Museum there in Fort Myers. The really good news from Pags is that he, too, is clear of prostate cancer. Amen, again! Our call was cut short when three of his grandkids were calling him for entertainment time. I then talked with Randy Pendleton; he and wife Elizabeth are doing well in Charlottesville, where they have lived for some time. The next adventure for them is a planned cruise to Panama. A recent note from Don McQueen ’70, Randy’s uncle by marriage, advised us that he and Randy have played senior softball together for several years with the team, Retreads, there in Charlottesville. At their annual awards ceremony held last fall, Randy was voted into the Retreads Hall of Fame. Randy had just completed his 19th season as shortstop, saying he has hit an awful lot of ground balls but has run them all out, commenting: “Til the big ump in the sky makes his final call, remember one thing: Run out that ground ball.” Paul “P.D.” Phillips and wife Ann are both active, doing well, and were in Florida when I spoke with him. P.D. had been to Luray, Virginia, and visited, for the first time, his grandfather’s home. He took pictures and was welcomed by the present homeowner. I caught up with Jim Piggott at home in Westminster Canterbury Lynchburg, where he and wife Toni have resided for the past year or so. They are planning a great trip

this spring where they plan to visit England, Scotland, and Ireland. He hopes there will be a Class of ’57 70th Reunion in 2027 and plans to bring the subject up when he has lunch with George and Howard (Class agent’s note: We are way ahead of you, Jim, and are happy to report that not only are we going to have a 70th Reunion, but based

Dickinson, whom he reports is doing well and living in their (K.K.’s) Merritt Island, Florida, home.

Due to space limitations, reports from Team Caller No. 1: Ron McManus, Team Caller No. 2: Martin Andersen, and Team Caller No. 7: John Paganelli, will appear in the next issue of these class notes.

Class

Class

on the outstanding success of our 65th, under the guidance and superb leadership of you and Toni, we are pleased to announce that by acclamation you have been selected as chairman of our 70th, a “two peat”). The Hon. John Poffenbarger continues to “hang in there” with wife Susan in Charleston, West Virginia. He talks regularly with Katie

The widows’ corner: Katie Dickinson continues to do well per the above report from John Poffenbarger, who stays in touch with her on a regular basis. We had a nice note from Alice Chloe Elmore advising that she was in the process of establishing an athletic scholarship in memory and honor of late husband Billy Elmore, who passed away in November 2022. Chloe went on to say how much she and Billy had enjoyed those VMI versus Tech Thanksgiving Day football games over the years following graduation in ’57. They would take the train from Blackstone to the game in Roanoke: “It was party time coming and going.” (Class agent’s note: We recall that Billy was a star end on the ’54, ’55, and ’56 football teams). “Mickey” Galvin sent a nice Christmas card to us to thank us for the wedding picture of her and BR Bill Galvin, who passed away in July 2010. She went on to say how Bill would frequently talk about his classmates at VMI. She met Bill just two weeks before he reported for active duty with the Air Force and said she would have loved to have met him while a cadet. “You all must have had so many stories to tell.” Patti Hammond keeps tabs on the VMI “family” residing at the Kendal in Lexington. She advised that Harry Warner and wife Sis seem to be doing OK, residing in assisted living in separate rooms, and would like to have a visit from any BRs that happen to be in the area. Betty Mixson wrote in her Christmas card, with a lovely note to your class agents, expressing her appreciation for her birthday wishes and her amazement as to how we, and all BRs, “recall the things about our husbands that make us smile.” We all recall husband Joe Mixson; his “lettering and cursive writing were beautiful. He inherited that from his dad, and thankfully, most of our children inherited it from Joe.” Martin Andersen stays in touch with Janice Snead and says she is doing fairly well, although

of 1957: Lionel Hancock, Stuart Nichols, Jack Trant, Paul Phillips, B.D. Ayres, and Art McCrary.

of 1957: Doug Talbot, Paul Phillips, Dixie Thomas, Carter Fox, Chuck McLennan, Buddy Saunders, Bubba Bain, Charlie Jenkins, and Carl LeBourdais, all Company C 1st Class privates, in winter 1957.

she has had some health problems during the past year, especially dealing with the recent passing of husband Jim Snead. Their granddaughter, Carolyn, has been living with her as a caregiver. Lynn Wiggins, widow of BR Ben Wiggins, sent us a very nice note of thanks and appreciation for remembering her birthday with greetings and best wishes from the class. She added a note saying: “Charles Dickens gave an excellent description of those days in barracks, didn’t he?” Lynn went on to say she had attended Founders Day at the Institute and got to watch a parade “one more time” and that Curly Mason was there, but she did not see many other brother rats. She closed with best regards to the Class of ’57.

Since the last edition of these class notes, we have lost Brother Rats Bill Boice and Jim Snead Our ranks of those BRs that graduated has now been reduced to 58, close to the poignant number ’57. And, before signing off on this edition of our ’57 class notes, we continue our honored tradition of remembering those brother rats who have “crossed over the river to rest under the shade of the trees.” Our 15th list of those gone but not forgotten Class of ’57: Bill Dean, Nov. 30, 2012; Clint Parker, Dec. 14, 2012; Bill Brooks, Feb. 4, 2013; Chapman Hunter, May 5, 2013; and Bob Wagner, Aug. 14, 2013. Rest in peace, brother rats who have passed, until at last we are all reunited; close ranks, brother rats still standing, as we continue our march forward on life’s path into the vast unknown and whatever the future may bring.

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

Your Class Agents, George and Howard

1958

Greetings to all on a sunny Valentine’s Day. The Christmas tree is still up, although all other holiday décor has been removed. As my mother, who lived to 95, got older, our family considered leaving her tree up all year because she loved the holiday so much. I don’t think we ever quite did that, but as I get older, I wonder why we didn’t do

Class of 1958: Lee McCown at the College of William & Mary’s “Hearth: Memorial to the Enslaved,” a memorial to the enslaved workers who built and maintained the school for 172 years.

whatever she wanted. That said, I’ll be glad when the labor-intensive dismantling of ours is over and all pieces are back in storage. I do think the people who have sliding door closets reserved for fully decorated trees on wheels are very smart.

Lenny Rubin says he and Melanie are “living the easy life of retirement and getting ready for our 70th Reunion.” Lenny sent a handwritten (and totally readable) letter that contains a fantastic story he said he wanted to get on paper after years of telling it.

“Sometime in the early to mid-60s, Melanie and

I had gone to New York City to see a show. After it was over, we went to a parking lot to pick up our car. We were second in line. In front of us were three New York Giants football players that I recognized as Frank Gifford, Sam Huff, and Ray Perkins.

“I went up to them and asked about Sam Horner ’60, who had been traded from the Washington Redskins to the Giants. Gifford and Huff thought he’d left the team to go to dental school. I turned to leave when Huff asked me why I was interested in Horner. I said because we were both VMI men.

“Huff’s response was to tell me that while at West Virginia University, they’d played VMI in football and that if not for a bad ref call in the end zone, VMI would have beat West Virginia. He said their coach went into the VMI bus to say just that.

“Then Huff continued with this statement: ‘Over the years, I’ve been hit hard. Over the years, I’ve been hit often. But never have I been hit that hard or that often as when we played VMI and that kid Martin beat the #%^& out of me. And I bet he didn’t weigh 170 pounds.’”

That kid was, of course, our own BR Dave Martin, who played on the undefeated team of 1957, and I’m not sure he even weighed as much as 170 pounds. I saw Dave when I delivered his reunion hat. He was, as always, trim, slim, and a gentleman. Dave lives in a very nice assisted living community called Anthology of Tuckahoe. “It’s not an old folks home,” he says. He reported that his children had taken his car keys away from him, something we all recognize as a frequent experience in our age group.

Jim Cowan is another BR who says he’s getting in shape for the 70th Reunion. Jim and I agree that we don’t like the portal in college athletics, as it is certainly detrimental to VMI. I’ve asked the Keydet Club president to please call me when he hears of the first athlete wanting to transfer into VMI. Jim also inquired about setting up a monthly contribution to one of the Class of 1958 funds: The class football scholarship goes through the Keydet Club, P.O. Box 932, Lexington, Virginia 24450. The class fund is handled by BR Mike Smeltzer, our class treasurer, at mksmeltzer@gmail.com.

Art Carnevale filed a report on life in his latest Florida hometown. “Joan and I are settled in at our villa in Waterman Village, Mount Dora. She says this is our last move, but she’s said that before. Still attempting to play golf like I used to; the ball just doesn’t seem to go as far. The only bad news is that I had to sell the Porsche. Attached is a photo of the replacement. All is well, so we are

Class of 1958: Sam and Sally Witt’s grandchildren, Henry, Ethan, and Lewis.

Lee McCown

certainly blessed.” That is one fine-looking ride, Art. Laura has occasional fantasies about a yellow vehicle, as it’s her favorite color.

When I spoke with Bill Gee recently, he told me he’d become the navigator in the car with Vivian doing the driving. Bill has some health challenges, but his spirits seem upbeat. I spoke with Sully Griffin, too, and he has been living with cancer for some time. Sully still lives in the Houston area town of Clute, Texas, with his wife, Fran, and his three children nearby. Fran has had an experience with cancer, too. I’ve always marveled that Sully’s heavy-duty engineering work took him all over the world—to 45 countries.

Our Richmond lunch group went for Buz and Ned’s barbecue again recently, where the irreverent bench outside says, “Ned is Dead.” In attendance were Becky and Onza Hyatt, Paul Royer, Jane and Stirling Williamson, Laura and I. Charlie Hayes brought Bill Walker this time, and Bill sent me this message afterward: “I’m now a single parent to three dogs. I lost BeLinda last August, so they have been a welcome lifeline. I’m now in Reedville, Virginia, at the end of the Northern Neck [between the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers]. U.S. 17 is the nearest through highway, and it’s 50 miles west of here. That makes it hard to get many visitors just passing through. If any brother rats are passing that way and want to make a detour, my door is always open. Reedville is a great, quiet, beautiful little waterfront town with lots of history. I’m on a peaceful inlet directly off of the Chesapeake Bay, and the house has water on three sides. The dogs and I walk on the beach every day. There is very good seafood here, as well.

“I really know I’m getting up there in age. My great-granddaughter just started college and is studying astronomy. Not many folks down here are in my age bracket, just a couple of old cronies like myself. My major outings are to the grocery store and having lunch at Lead Belly’s with those old cronies every couple of weeks.”

Rest in peace, BeLinda, and thank you for the invitation, Bill. That is a beautiful part of Virginia, which your photo certainly shows. For anyone who lost track of Bill through the years, he had a 20-year career in the Air Force, retiring

as a lieutenant colonel. His work continued as a radiological physicist with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. He has an M.S. from the University of Kansas and a Ph.D. from the University of Florida.

Shortly before our lunch, Charlie had a bout with COVID-19, which he won, but he was very glad he’d had a recent vaccine booster. Like Laura and so many of our friends, he said he’s had a cough hanging on. That seems to be a lasting symptom, regardless of whether you’ve had COVID-19, the flu, or the respiratory syncytial virus.

The Hyatts brought their usual good cheer, and Becky and Laura have a connection they always discuss: The Hyatts’ granddaughter, Whitney, and our niece, Claire (whose father is my brother, David McCown ’73), got their doctorates in psychology at West Virginia University at the same time and are now with the same practice in Richmond. Onza continues to be proud of the achievements of their sons, who run the family insulation business now.

Paul Royer is making an excellent recovery from his serious hospitalization last year. Hope won’t let him clean out the gutters anymore but will permit dragging logs and cutting them up with his new chainsaw. While Paul uses a cane now, he can still rake leaves. Leaf raking was an immense part of my past, but now, the few square feet of our city lot can be done in minutes with one of those little folding rakes.

Stir Williamson is getting a respite from some of the health challenges of 2023, and Jane is enjoying the cultural opportunities of Charlottesville. While Thomas Jefferson called his University of Virginia “an academical village;” in fact, the whole city meets that description. She had just been to a lecture at a synagogue about the very complex and tragic situation in Israel.

The Williamsons are like the Hyatts in having capable offspring running the family business. They continue to be extremely proud of their daughter, Blair, who not only runs S.L. Williamson Company Inc. but also owns a shop in downtown Charlottesville that sells needlework supplies. She says that’s going to be her retirement job. Jane recalled how Blair, who trained as an architect at Virginia Tech but wasn’t crazy about her first job out of school, surprised her parents

Class of 1958: Art Carnevale with his VMI-themed golf cart.

Class of 1958: Gathering for lunch in Richmond, Virginia, are (from left) Lee McCown, Becky Hyatt, Onza Hyatt, and Laura Cameron.

Class of 1958: Bill Walker welcomes visitors to his beautiful spread in Reedville, Virginia, with water on three sides.

by showing interest in taking over the family business. Jane asked her what prompted her interest, and Blair said, “I’d be in charge.” You go, Blair. You had great parenting.

Rich Neuberger let Dave Pitkethly know how much he enjoys the funnies he sends out via email. I don’t know Dave’s sources, but they are consistently entertaining. Have no fear; I will continue to forward them to all of you.

And I am truly enjoying judiciously sharing the San Quentin Hardtimers softball team hats Rich shared with me. Phil Ford, the husband of our daughter, Alane Cameron Ford, can pull it off. He has a very wide, wacky streak, and this hat becomes him.

Don Cuthrell couldn’t come to our 60th Reunion, so Laura and I delivered his hat and the chocolates for Carolyn, who couldn’t join us for lunch but whose pet-sitting business is still booming. Don has had some very uncomfortable health challenges in recent years but seemed to be doing very well at our lunch. We thought we had a good picture of him, but that turned out not to be the case. We really enjoyed being with him, and he’s still looking good.

Don lives in Williamsburg, so we took the opportunity to visit the oh-so-beautiful campus of the College of William & Mary, from which our daughter, Alane Ford, and grandson, Morgan McCown, graduated. We were eager to see “The Hearth,” the college’s memorial to the enslaved workers who had such important roles in its early history, including the brick making and the construction of the first three buildings. The college was founded in 1693; only Harvard is older. Enslaved workers were there for 172 years.

“The Hearth” is very moving and made of the same Flemish bond brick pattern as so many of the old buildings on the campus. The dark bricks have the names of some of the enslaved, which include several named Hemings. You might guess that they were brought there by Thomas Jefferson, who was educated there. His University of Virginia also has a beautiful memorial to the enslaved.

We stay in close touch with Sally Witt, wife of BR Sam Witt, and their sons, Clay and Sam IV. Before Sam’s death last year, he and Sally had gotten a beautiful house at Westminster Canterbury that they had been on the waiting list for. By the time they were able to move in, Sam’s condition had declined to the point that he needed to be in assisted living. He was very well cared for there, and Sally was able to visit him every day. We’re so grateful that he was able to see that Sally had created yet another beautiful home.

Since Sam’s death, son Sam and his wife, Talia, have had a baby boy they’re calling Ethan, for Talia’s late brother, but his full name is Gabriel Ethan Archer Witt. They’ve recently been to Richmond for an extended visit from Boston, and Sally so enjoyed their visit.

I got a very thoughtful email from Tuck Master ’80, who lives in Southport, North Carolina, saying he lived in Virginia most of his life but moved to North Carolina in 2019. He spotted an obituary for Donnie Walker, who died Dec. 4. While he didn’t know Donnie, he decided to represent the “I” and attend his celebration of life. He attached a scan of the flyer used at the Jan. 12 service, which I emailed to all of you. Thanks, Tuck.

By then, you had seen the obituary I emailed in December. It describes the life of an accomplished and generous man many of us will remember as being as he was described in the obituary. “He will be lovingly remembered for his sense of humor, so often suddenly appearing in a goofy hat or silly mask.” Some of us remember that about Donnie as he appears in our yearbook in a very goofy hat. (Lower right-hand corner of the “Dance Weekends and Parties Page.”)

“(Mr. Walker) lived at St. James Plantation, the planned community west of me where he was referred to as ‘the watering can man,’ Master said. Donnie had a business providing flower and plant care for neighbors who were traveling. He was also a solid citizen—volunteering with his Kiwanis Club, a fire department board, and a beach restoration committee—and a neighbor anyone would want, renowned for his beautiful gardens and his unique woodworking pieces.

Donnie is survived by Barbara, his wife of 65 years; children, Gary, Wendi, and Glen; grandchildren, Heather, Lindsay, Bea, Alison, Kelli, Elli, and Harrison; and great-grandchildren, Carter, Jack, Sophie, and Owen. Rest in peace, old friend. You made the world a better place.

The life of BR Gene Martin ended on the first day of 2024. His degree from VMI was in electrical engineering, and he retired from the Air Force as a lieutenant colonel. Gene later worked for Fluor Daniel in Saudi Arabia and Cincinnati. While in Ohio, he served for 10 years as a city councilman in Sharonville. He is survived by his wife, Peggy; son, Mike, an Air Force major general; daughter, Michelle; and grandchildren, Gabriella, Oliva, Martin, William, and Maxwell.

When Jan Woodman and I took a Florida tour to visit several BRs several years ago, our time with Gene and Peggy was especially memorable—in addition to the hospitality they provided in their

home—as they secretly paid our motel bill! Rest in peace, Gene, and deep sympathy to Peggy and the family.

Here’s wishing all of you a healthy 2024. Please remember your class agent when you have some news!

Cheers, Lee

1959

Shep Shepard

The child should never precede the parents in death, but our class has seen it happen far too often. And yet, it has happened again. Eric Dreelin, Jo Anne and Donnie Dreelin’s son, passed away at his home in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, in January 2024. Eric was an adventurer, enjoying fishing, surfing, boating, snowboarding, flying, and wakeboarding, and will be missed not only by his family but by the community of Kitty Hawk. For years, he was known as the Kitty Hawk bush pilot. A beautiful and fitting celebration of life was held at Kitty Hawk Pier, where many guests paddled kayaks and canoes around the pier, placing flowered wreaths in the water. Jo Anne has suffered far too many tragedies in her life. Please keep her and her family in your thoughts and prayers. We lost another brother rat this quarter, Philip Forbes. Phil only spent four months at VMI before going on to LSU. Phil was a highly decorated Marine veteran who served his country well. His obit said that he attended Riverside Military Academy at the same time I was there, but I did not know him. Our class sends condolences to his loving wife, Nan Forbes, and his family.

Received a nice call from Richard Irons expressing his condolences for my loss. Richard lost his lovely wife, Judith, a few years ago to Alzheimer’s disease, and it was painful. Richard is doing well, still getting in a round of golf or two. He is quite a golfer, as I recall. Richard lives in Palm Beach Gardens, which is just down the road from where I live. Several years ago, I drove down to Palm Beach Gardens and played a round with him and his group. All were excellent golfers and long ball hitters playing from the black tees. You can imagine how I fared since I’ve been playing from the white tees for years. It was a struggle, but I enjoyed playing with Richard and wished we had

Benning, he and Sallie spent three years at Fort Sam Houston, followed by two years at Fort Knox. After 11 years of active duty, Bill was discharged with 80% medical disability from a polio-type illness. Bill retired as a major. While he was in the service, he spent a lot of time treating the wounded from Vietnam; his specialty was head and neck surgery. After being discharged, they moved to Columbia. Bill and his two boys now live on Lake Murray, with a 600-mile shoreline. Good to hear from Bill. I will keep him in my thoughts and prayers to ease the pain of losing Sallie.

Received a card from Harry and Ann Ray, and they say that they are doing well, and more important, they are still moving. They wish the class a peaceful holiday season.

Jennifer Lee sent a nice card and note wishing all of us peace and hope.

Also received a nice card from Spence and Beverly Tucker, along with a beautiful poem written by Beverly about the passing from fall to winter. Well done, Beverly.

Dick and Linda Phillippi said they are looking forward to our 65th Reunion and visiting with all our brother rats who are well enough to make it.

Max Guggenheimer hopes everyone will have a peaceful Christmas filled with lots of visits from all your loved ones.

Dot Heishman seconds that motion and hopes the Christmas season brought the best gifts to your door: Joy and laughter, warmth and wonder, and family and friends.

Tex and Emily Carr hope that silent nights and peaceful days bless your Christmas in countless ways.

Carl Kasko wishes everyone a merry Christmas and a happy new year.

but on all of us.

Virginia Nowlin wishes everyone happy holidays with hopes that it is wrapped in happiness and tied with love.

Bonnie Pomponio wrote to wish Christmas blessings to everyone and their families. Had a nice long talk with Bonnie on the telephone not long ago. We plan on continuing the talk when my daughter, Christine, and I stop by Charlotte to have lunch with her on our way home from the reunion. Looking forward to that.

Larry and Nancy Wood wish everyone a blessed Christmas and health and happiness to everyone.

Got a nice card from Anne Reed and her son, Jack. Both are doing well, and they hope the warmth and goodness of the season fill your hearts and homes with happiness.

Got another nice card from Cec MacArthur and her son, Gordon. Both are doing fine and wish everyone best wishes for a happy holiday season. They will be spending Christmas with her daughter, Kristen.

Marie O’Neill checked in from Kingsport, Tennessee, with heartfelt wishes for a bright and beautiful Christmas holiday. Ann will be in her prayers, especially at Christmas Mass.

Received a nice note from Bud and Denyse Kramer. Denyse said Bud does not get around much anymore, spending most of his time sleeping in his chair and watching TV. Denyse takes care of him the best that she can. Bud and Denyse wish everyone a blessed Christmas season.

played more often in subsequent years. Richard has a daughter who lives in Melbourne, so we plan to get together for lunch and maybe a round of golf in the near future.

It is always nice to hear from those brother rats that I have not heard from in ages. I received a very nice note from Bill Fravel. After leaving VMI, Bill went to medical school at Cincinnati College of Medicine. He then went into the U.S. Army as a medical officer serving in Hawaii. From Hawaii, he went to Fort Moore (formerly Benning), Georgia, for a year. It is also where he met his wife, Sallie, who, unfortunately, passed away three years ago from breast cancer. After

Jim and Bet Vermillion sent a card full of kind words about our long and close friendship as well as the attached picture of the Vermillion family. Unfortunately, they will be unable to attend our 65th Reunion. They will be missed but not forgotten.

Lee and Nancy Southard sent a nice card wishing everyone a wonderful and blessed Christmas. They will be at the reunion.

Bill and Connie Nebraska wish everyone a happy gathering with each of your respective strong, supportive families this Christmas. Unfortunately, Bill and Connie will not be able to make it to our 65th Reunion. Distance travel is not in the cards for them. They could not even make it to their grandson’s wedding in Vermont in March. Time has taken its toll, not just on Bill and Connie,

Joanne Fall wrote, and having lost Baldy just a short time ago, she knows exactly how I feel, especially during this first Christmas without Ann. Joanne sends a greeting to the class and hopes all believers celebrate the miracle of Christ’s birth this Christmas and throughout the new year.

Got a note from Rick Tuck, Richard Tuck’s son, who appreciates that we continue to keep Tuck in our memory and in our hearts. Also got a note from Vie, Tuck’s widow, who appreciated the Christmas card from the class.

Art and Ginny Brandriff wished everyone a merry Christmas and joy this holiday season.

Heike Walker wishes everyone a very merry Christmas and hopes that His love surrounds you at Christmas time and always.

Our stalwart financial guru, Rusty Loth, sent a very kind note with Christmas greetings to all and a happy and healthy new year. Got a nice telephone call from Marvin and Betsy Boswell just checking in to see how I was doing, which I appreciated. Marvin and Betsy got together with Jim

Class of 1959: U.S. Air Force Capt. Tiffany Haines ’15 (left) celebrates her graduation from the U.S. Air Force Fighter Weapons School with her grandfather, retired U.S. Air Force Col. Bob Haines.

Class of 1959: Larry Wood with his dog, Willow.

and Bet Vermillion and June Smith in Culpeper not long ago for lunch and had a great time reliving years past. Marvin and Betsy have a grandson who is a U.S. Air Force Academy graduate and assigned to Colorado Springs, Colorado. This is also the home of my sister, Susan, and Bud Meases’ children and grandchildren, so I gave him an address to contact them. We will continue the VMI connection.

Richard Bingham’s lovely daughter, Heather, dropped me a line. Her Thanksgiving and Christmas were not very joyful. The emptiness and sorrow of losing her father will take a lot more time to heal her broken heart. Her daughter, however, did get into Auburn. She only wishes her dad could have worn the shirt she gave me that said “Auburn Grandpa.” She knows that he would have been so proud of her as I am of my granddaughter, who just graduated from Auburn. I will think of Dick whenever I wear the shirt.

Got a nice card from Jeff Strunk, Jud Strunk’s son, and his family. Jeff said all the Strunks are doing well, although they miss their mom, Marti. Jeff’s family keeps active with his wife, Sarah, keeping the house operating smoothly; daughter, Cassidy, helping when they can get her off her skis long enough; and son, Mason, a talented young man who does all of Jud’s routines. Ann and I spent a few days in Maine with the whole Strunk family about 15 years ago, and we have continued to keep in touch. A great family.

more chemo but is not giving up. She has such determination and a love of life, something that her friends and family have always admired.

Brad Willard and Corazon recently enjoyed the exciting experience of riding with Alaskan sled dogs. They were on a cruise in Alaska and had the unique experience of “talking with sled dogs.” Unfortunately, they would not respond to Brad’s commands. Brad and Corazon wish everyone a very merry Christmas, a happy new year,

to get rid of stuff. Ed had an old VMI mess hall chair that should go to someone who would value it. He had his VMI uniform, as well as other items for which she is trying to find a home. Contact her at leeadams85@suddenlink.net or 252-320-8908 if interested.

Bob Haines is a proud grandfather and has good reason to be proud. U.S. Air Force Capt. Tiffany Haines ’15, Bob’s granddaughter, just graduated from the prestigious USAF Weapons School, the USAF Top Gun School. The graduation was held at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, followed by a very elegant graduation dinner where the dress code was mess dress/tuxedo. Bob flew out to Las Vegas, along with son John’s entire family, to celebrate the occasion. Tiffany said that the academics, as well as the flying requirements, were very demanding, and not all the attendees made the cut. But Capt. Haines, soon to be Maj. Haines, did, and that’s what counts.

Betty Whitescarver sent me a beautiful card and note. You will recall that Betty lost Penn Whitescarver in 2020 to COVID-19. She moved back to Maryland because that is where she has the most family. It has been wonderful and was the right decision.

Received a nice note from Betty Huffcut, wife of Bill Huffcut ’57, offering condolence for Ann’s loss. I have 63 years of wonderful memories Ann and I shared, and Betty has 65 years with Bill. We both have loving families to fall back on and will get us through this. We are both thankful for the time God gave us with Ann and Bill.

Betty says that Betty Sellers, Phil Sellers’ wife, is not doing well. She cannot have any

and peace throughout the coming year. Amen to that.

Lee Adams, widow of Ed Adams, wrote a nice note reminding me to remember the past, enjoy the beautiful memories, and appreciate the goodness life offers. Great advice that I have taken to heart. Ed had quite a collection of VMI paraphernalia that Lee is interested in passing on. I reminded her that we are all in our upper 80s, and many of us are in the process of downsizing and trying

Billy and Sue Kornegay send warm wishes to brother and sister rats for a merry Christmas and a happy new year. Both are looking forward to welcoming everyone back to Lexington for our 65th Reunion and kibitzing with brother and sister rats who attend. Billy will be somewhat disabled because he injured his right arm while DIY finishing his basement and still cannot use it to write or type. It hasn’t interfered with his consumption of brother rat red wine, however.

Received a card from Lee Ann Blanchard, who complained she has not been receiving my messages and did not know about the passing of so many brother and sister rats. We quickly got that straightened out by inserting her new email. This reminds me that if you change your email or street address, please let me know so I can keep my address file correct. I will notify the Alumni Association. Lee Ann gave me some sage advice concerning my loss. She does not feel like she lost Max because she knows exactly where he is and that he is at peace, but it sure is lonely down here. Lee Ann hopes we all have sweet Christmas memories that bring much joy to our lives.

Jimmy and Linda Johnson sent greetings from

Class of 1959: Jim and Bet Vermillion and their family.

Class of 1959: Mort Eggleston, Ned Addison, Rusty Loth, Harlee Pate, and Marve Myers.

Georgetown, Texas, the home of George Strait, when Ann and I lived in San Antonio. Jimmy and Linda are doing well for an elderly couple. Jimmy has the same problem that Ann (and the whole Dreelin family) had but has been moderated by a pacemaker since 2010. It has kept him alive, although he had a minor stroke last December. He lost his older brother, Ben, last year but still stays in touch with his nephews, who live in Washington. It is so important for old geezers like us to keep in touch with family.

Got a nice letter from my old friend John Tompson, who lives in San Antonio, Texas. Having lost his wife, Betty Ann, not long ago, John can empathize, as so many others in our class can, with me and my loss of Ann. I do appreciate all the kind words and advice I received from all of you. John says that this Christmas will be a little sad and lonely since neither of his sons were joining him; both were there to visit in the fall. Nevertheless, he will have the company of all the other residents. John’s mobility is such that he will not be able to make it back for our 65th Reunion, but he does wish one and all a very merry Christmas and a happy new year.

John and Pat Van Kesteren feel blessed to have experienced knowing and interacting with brother rats over the past 65 years. They look forward to many more wonderful years to come.

This Christmas will be spent in Albuquerque with their son, John Logan, his wife, Amy, and their daughter, Katharine, who is a freshman at Dickinson College in Pennsylvania. They were fortunate to spend Thanksgiving with their daughter, Katrina Nordstrom, her husband, Dennis, their sons, Logan and Rhys, daughter, Halle, Logan’s wife, Kelly, and their son, Miles, at Christiana Campbell’s in Williamsburg, Virginia. Logan and Rhys are managing the Armistead House, a Victorian guesthouse located in Williamsburg; Halle will be graduating from New York University this spring with a degree in film production. Unfortunately, their other daughter, Chelsea, and her husband, Marti, and kids, Enzo and Ella, who live in Melbourne, Australia, could not make it. Chelsea was just employed by Canva as a full-time digital designer, making them very proud. Always good to hear from John and Pat because they always have something exciting to write about. Thanks.

Bobby and Alice Ross are doing fine and enjoy living in Hopewood Retirement Center just outside of Richmond. John and Teddi Martin live in the same retirement home, and Ralph and Janice Rae Lawson are residents of Avery Point, another retirement center just down the road. Bobby

had an enjoyable breakfast with Ralph not long ago. Bobby dropped me a note reminding me and all brother and sister rats that the VMI Class of 1959 still has a football scholarship that we need to support. When making your annual donation to the Alumni Association, don’t forget to designate part of it to support the scholarship. Our “scholarship man” is a fine young man named Collin Shannon ’26, who is a quarterback. Maybe we can meet him at our 65th Reunion.

Received a very nice telephone call from Chuck and Margo Cotton’s youngest son, Willie. Willie and his lovely wife, Millissa, live in Fort Mill, South Carolina, where Willie has been in the insurance business for ages. Both are doing well, as are all the Cotton boys and girls. Ann and I have grown up with the Cotton family, and it is always nice to hear from them. Willie and Millissa have two wonderful young adults, Shula and Claire. This past year, Shula was hired away from the Buffalo Bills by the Clemson Tigers to be their statistician. He is a fine young man whom I tried to set up with my granddaughter years ago, but that time has passed since he is engaged to his true love.

Heard from my old roommate, John Martin, and his lovely wife, Teddi. It is hard for them to believe they have been in their retirement home for over four years. It has been a perfect change at a perfect time for them. Their son, Rod, is still working in Hong Kong, so they do not see him much, but daughter Sydney, who lives close by and goes to a local college, they see often. Both are doing well, although John has been having some balance problems and now walks with a cane. John and Teddi send everyone their best for a merry Christmas and happy new year.

Many of you probably remember Jim Seeley ’60. Jim and his lovely wife, Carol, live in Jacksonville, Florida, and we renewed the friendship we had when we were at VMI through Ron and Mary Alice Marley. Unfortunately, I do not get to see them as much as I would like, but my respect for U.S. Navy Adm. Seeley has not diminished. Jim spent much of his career as the lead pilot for the CEO of the huge grocery store, Publix. He is still flying his biplane that he has named The Spirit and is currently in the process of finishing his 15-year project of building a 70% scale World War II P-40. Jim says that for two octogenarians, they are not doing too bad. However, Carol gets her first knee replacement in a month, something that cannot be put off any longer.

Harry and Terry MacGregor continue to be thankful for the God-given health and strength

that they experience in their mid-80s. They are also thankful for the accomplishments of their wonderful family. Their granddaughter, Jordan, graduated from Eastern Mennonite University and has already begun to teach second grade in the local school system. Their grandson, Brock MacGregor ’23, graduated from VMI following in the footsteps of his dad, Lee MacGregor ’92, and grandfather, Harry MacGregor ’59 Quite a legacy. They celebrated the birth of their 17th great-grandchild, Rosalie, who was born last summer to Jake and Makayla Tomlin, and are delighted to announce their 18th is on the way next summer to Jodi and Hunter Conner. Son-in-law Darrian Tomlin began running beef cattle on the farm and doing a great job. His wife, Kim, is an RN, doing dialysis in the regional hospital. It is comforting to know there is a nurse on the farm. The family spent some time at Virginia Beach and again on Thanksgiving, where they had 24 of the family show up. It’s great to share a meal with the family and enjoy the fellowship.

What a year it has been for Ralph and Janice Rae Lawson. In January, they sold their house in Cobbs Creek, continued the task of downsizing, and moved to Avery Point Retirement Home in Richmond. Janice Rae said that meeting new friends and adapting to all Avery Point has to offer was refreshing. Unfortunately, Ralph had a stroke June 3. After a week in the hospital and 12 days in a nearby rehabilitation facility, he finally came home, where he had home care. The therapists were great, and they are both thankful for the fact that they had moved to Richmond. They are keeping busy with all that is offered at Avery Point. Ralph and Janice Rae hope all are doing well and

Class of 1959: Shep Shepard and his daughters, Christine and Colleen, aboard the new high-speed train from Orlando to Miami, Florida.

Class Notes

wish everyone a happy and healthy 2024.

John Trout somehow got hold of a vice chief of staff of the Army flag and will present it to Col. Gibson ’77 at our 65th Reunion to be displayed in the Gen. Peay ’62 section of the museum. Eddie and Carolyn Barnes have done yeomen service in preparing our class for our 65th Reunion. The reunion will have come and gone by the time you receive these notes. Let’s hope we get a great turnout.

The incident I had last year damaged my heart, so I have been in cardiac rehab for the past 10 weeks, and it seems to have helped; I am feeling much better. My daughters are taking good care of me except for the past three weeks when Colleen flew up to Boston, Massachusetts, to be with her son and daughter-in-law, who just gave birth to twin daughters, Remi Quinn and Reilly Ann. Both mom Kristen and babies are doing great. This makes three great-granddaughters, with one more on the way. I’m so sorry Ann has missed this part of our life. My other daughter, Christine, gifted me with a ticket to see Jerry Seinfeld at our local Performing Arts Center. Ann and I had seen him several years ago, and he was just as great. I was taken aback by how rude the audience was, calling out “Soup Nazi” and other famous routines he did on television 20 years ago. Finally, he said maybe we ought to just watch some reruns of the TV show. I have never seen such a rude audience, but then again, I am an old fuddy dud. I am looking forward to seeing those of you who can make it to the 65th Reunion. I have already talked to many of you on the telephone but look forward to seeing you in person.

1960

James A. Smith III

Greetings from 12 Evergreen Tree Drive, Lexington, Virginia.

My last notes were completed Nov. 15. As I review, I discovered I missed George Coulbourn’s birthday Nov. 11. I called later, wishing George a happy birthday, good health, and a merry Christmas.

On Nov. 16, Jim Schaaf and Jim Gibson celebrated their next birthdays. I received an email from Jim Schaaf. He lives in a retirement community in Hoover, Alabama. He continues to teach

elementary students and volunteers at a science museum in Birmingham. Jim Gibson caught up with me. He is well and looking forward to more birthdays.

I missed Herb Vaughan’s next birthday, Nov. 19, but I did speak to him Nov. 27. Herb is doing well.

On Nov. 21, Phil Spivey had his next birthday. He got voicemail birthday wishes.

On Nov. 27, I did catch up with Henry Brown with birthday wishes. Henry was in the grocery store buying Starbucks coffee. He is a Starbucks groupie! His grandson is a rat this year.

I received an interesting email from Joe Stewart He wrote: “Jimbo, just a couple of bits of information: Yvonne and I had dinner with Hap and Mary in Lexington last Friday. We were on our way to Richmond for a wedding. It was great to get to spend some time with them and catch up on a lot of things. Hap has always been one of my closest BR friends. On another note, we dodged the tornados that ripped through middle Tennessee. One of our daughters had a close call, but everyone came through with no damage other than high winds that cleaned out most of the dead limbs out of the trees. There were nine documented tornados that touched down. Six people dead, and multiple people injured. Extensive damage to homes and businesses. A huge power substation literally exploded and will be out of service for weeks. It’s a mess. Anyway, the Stewart clan dodged a bullet. I spent the first week of November out in South Dakota pheasant hunting. Had a great hunt with a bunch of good friends from Colorado and Oklahoma that I’ve hunted with for years. Still managed to walk some pretty long fields and was tickled that I still could. Don’t know how many more of those I’ve got left in me. Hope you are doing well. Stay safe. Joe T.”

On Dec. 2, Ruth and I attended the Marshall Foundation’s Andrew Goodpaster Award presentation for Binnie Peay ’62, a well-deserved award for character and excellence. We were the only members of the Class of ’60 present. We were also the oldest, a common occurrence nowadays. George Miller and Jim French had their latest birthday Dec. 1. On Dec. 14, G.G. Phillips celebrated his next birthday. We were also present Dec. 14, representing our class at the annual presentation of the Capt. Paul Bayliss Class of ’60 Scholarship awarded to the highest ranking AFROTC cadet enrolled in pilot training. The principal in the fund is a bit more than $500,000, with the award slightly above $18,000. This year’s recipient is Cadet Jacob “Jake” Johnston ’24. Col. Nichole Scott,

head of the AFROTC department, made the following presentation: “Good afternoon, I am Colonel Nichole Scott, the VMI PAS and AFROTC commander. Welcome to the ninth presentation of the Captain Paul Bayliss 1960 Memorial Scholarship. I would like to echo the welcome that Major Blum just made to our prestigious and generous Class of 1960. It is through their generosity and desire to honor their fallen brother rat that we have the opportunity to present this scholarship. I wanted also to thank you all for your service and highlight Colonel Moss, who was an F-4 pilot who logged over 300 missions over North Vietnam. He led the Fast FAC ‘Tiger FAC’ flights out of Korat over portions of the Ho Chi Minh Trail. The freedoms that we enjoy today are because of the sacrifices of those [who] came before us. Today’s presentation gives us an opportunity to remember a VMI alumni, a patriot, and an airman who made the ultimate sacrifice for his country and to recognize a high-performing future officer who has demonstrated the desire and capability to follow in the footsteps of Captain Bayliss. Paul Martin Bayliss matriculated to VMI from Alexandria, Virginia, in 1956. Known as Eagle by his brother rats, he persevered as a private throughout his cadetship. He graduated in 1960 with a degree in civil engineering and a commission in the United States Air Force. Beginning in 1962, he served as an instructor pilot flying the T-37, T-33, and T-38 before he joined the 606th Air Commando Squadron and flew T-28s modified for the ground-attack mission against the Ho Chi Minh Trail. He was killed in action in November 1966. Among his decorations are the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Purple Heart Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Vietnam Campaign Medal, and the Vietnamese Gallantry Cross Unit Citation. Although not able to attend today’s ceremony, Mr. Bolling Williamson had fond memories of Eagle Bayliss During his cadetship, Paul Bayliss was good-natured, enthusiastic, fun-loving, yet a hard worker and a bit mischievous. He was the type of cadet who made life at VMI bearable for those around him. Members of the Class of 1960 chose to honor Eagle for his sacrificial service to his country and for the special memory of their days with him in barracks. By doing so, they not only honor the sacrifice of Captain Bayliss and all other VMI alumni killed in action while flying with the Air Force, but they also recognize cadets who are entering the demanding field of military aviation and encourage these young people to become leaders in the USAF. This scholarship goes to a rated cadet and

pays for their senior year tuition. We’re working with the Class of 1960 to modify that since the Air Force developed the Charles McGee Leadership Award upon completion of Field Training. It is insightful to look briefly at past recipients.

“The 2015 recipient, Tiffany A. Haines ’15, is now a mobility pilot flying C-130Js in the 37th Airlift Squadron at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. The 2016 recipient, Andrew Day ’16, is now a bomber pilot flying the B-1. He is currently assigned to the 459 Flying Training Squadron, training undergraduate pilots from NATO countries at Sheppard AFB, Texas. The 2017 recipient, Tristan Silverstorf ’18, is now a F-15E pilot in the 336 Fighter Squadron at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina. The 2018 recipient, Charles Remig ’19, is in PACAF at the 355 Fighter Squadron flying the F-35 at Eielson AFB, Alaska. The 2019 recipient, William Neikirk ’20, is at the AETC 23 Flying Training Squadron at Fort Rucker, Alabama.

The 2020 recipient, Travis Roome ’21, is currently attending 15E Weapons Systems Officer Training at the 4th Student Squadron in Seymour Johnson, North Carolina. The 2021 recipient is Christopher Hulburt ’22, who is now working for X. The 2022 recipient is Second Lieutenant [Wesley] Barbara ’23, who is working as the physical training officer at the Randolph Macon Academy, awaiting his entrance to active duty in March 2024 to attend pilot training at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas. So, as you can see, this scholarship has paid dividends. It has helped many cadets graduate from VMI and go on to start a flying career in the Air Force. I think Captain Bayliss would be proud. This year’s recipient is Cadet Jacob Johnston ’24. He hails from Bristol, Virginia. He has excelled as a computer science student here at VMI and also holds the rank of captain in the Corps of Cadets as the VMI Regimental S-6 captain. He expertly juggles a heavy class load, leadership on the hill, AFROTC squadron command, and NCAA basketball. Congratulations, Cadet Johnston. This scholarship was hard fought and deserving. And thank you again to the Class of 1960 for your generosity.”

family for this award. I am extremely grateful for receiving this honor.

“Captain Paul ‘Eagle’ Bayliss graduated from VMI in 1960 and was commissioned into the Air Force as a pilot. During the Vietnam War, he was shot down and killed Nov. 7, 1966. This scholarship means a lot to me because my mother was actually born in Vietnam a few short months before Captain Bayliss’ death. While many American citizens opposed the United States’ involvement in Vietnam, I’m not sure if

I would be here today without it. I am extremely proud to attend VMI. VMI has brought me my closest friends and has taught me so many life lessons. Air Force ROTC has given me many unique opportunities that I would have never had otherwise. This past summer, I had the privilege of attending free-fall school at the Air Force Academy. After five solo free-fall skydives in the span of two weeks, I earned my jump wings. If these two weeks taught me anything, it’s that I would be a whole lot more comfortable flying that plane than jumping out of it. Through VMI and Air Force ROTC, I’ve met so many amazing individuals and had the opportunity to use the past four years to grow as a leader and to prepare myself as an officer in the Air Force. I’m blessed to be surrounded by so many great people. I want to give a shoutout to my roommate Dan Lee [’24]. We’ve been roommates for all four years now, and we’ve been talking about being pilots for as long as I can remember. We were both lucky enough to get selected for a slot. There’s no one I’d rather be able to share this privilege with. He pushes me every day, and as Colonel Scott knows, we are always quietly competing to try to beat each other in everything. Upon graduation, I will be commissioning into the Air Force as a pilot. My dream is to fly fighters, but I’m honestly open to anything.

Just to wrap up, I want to once again thank the Class of 1960 and the Bayliss family for this great honor. Very Respectfully, Cadet Jacob Johnston, VMI Class of 2024, Regimental S-6 Captain.”

On Dec. 21, Bo Bowles had his next birthday. Bo is still working hard. I hope you all had a good and blessed Christmas. Ruth and I were here in Lexington, and as usual, Santa Claus found us. Too much stuff, as always. We also received so many wonderful Christmas cards, too many to list, but please know we appreciate all who were so thoughtful and remembered us.

On Dec. 29, “Robbie” Robertson had his next birthday.

Cadet Johnston’s remarks are as follows: “Good Afternoon, Colonel Scott, Detachment Staff, Members of the Class of 1960, and good afternoon, Det 880. I want to first begin by expressing my gratitude to the Class of 1960 and the Bayliss

On Jan. 2, Hap Miller celebrated his latest birthday. Hap has done and continues to do so very much for our class. Bill Giles had his next birthday Jan. 3.

On Jan. 5, Tom Kurkoski had his next birthday. I spoke to Tom the next day. Jim Bagby also had a birthday Jan. 5, but he just got a voicemail message.

Class of 1960: At the Bayliss scholarship presentation are (from left) G.G. Phillips, Cadet Jacob Johnston ’24, and Jimbo Smith.

Class of 1960: Having lunch in Lexington, Virginia, are (from left) Alex Wise, brother of Andy Wise; Steve Riethmiller; and Jimbo Smith.

On Jan. 6, the Rev. Ed Davis and Nick Hester had birthdays. I spoke with Ed. We shared our octogenarian maladies. Otherwise, he is well.

On Jan. 9, Chris Fleet celebrated his next birthday. I don’t have a correct phone number. He got email wishes.

On Jan. 14, Pete McGue had his next birthday. We exchanged emails. Pete reported, “No new news.”

On Monday, Jan. 15, we got hit with 4 inches of snow. Fortunately, we’ve someone to clean our driveway. For 10 minutes, it’s pretty, but then it’s a pain. Nothing as bad as my northern brother rats.

Sadly, our Brother Rat Alex Dunlap passed away Jan. 13. His obituary is as follows: “Alex Dunlap, 84, of Ball Ground, passed away Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. He spent his last days surrounded by family and kept his sense of humor until the end. Alex was born and raised in Pulaski, Virginia, and was a proud graduate of the Virginia Military Institute. He served as a civil engineer in the United States Air Force before entering the private sector to work in the construction industry for the remainder of his career. Alex developed commercial, residential, and multi-use projects in Ohio, Florida, Tennessee, Texas, and Georgia throughout the course of his career, spending the last 20-plus years in the Atlanta area. A devoted family man, Alex is preceded in death by his sister, Mary Clare, and the love of his life and wife of 55 years, Barbara. He is survived by his daughters, Beth, Susan, and Brooke, and grandchildren, Brennan, Bryan, Braeden, Casey, Jordan, Griffin, and Gunnar. Alex will be interred at Georgia National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations made be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or the Gary Sinise Foundation.” The funeral was held Jan. 24, 12:30 p.m. at the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, Georgia. We will send flowers from our class.

On Jan. 9, Chris Fleet celebrated his next birthday. I could not catch up with him as he has moved. I got the following email from Chris a few days later: “Jimbo—Quite all right. I’ve stopped counting them anyway. One reason for the phone problem: We’ve moved to Georgia (address/phone below), and with all that accompanies a move (from &%$*), notification just slipped. On top of that, both Linda and I had COVID-19 during Christmas, and we had to postpone a family get-together (other part of our family is in Richmond, Virginia). We moved primarily to be closer to family and closer to sources of elderly help than we were in Virginia. At any rate, we had to do the downsize boogie and still have boxes and extra furniture all over. Many thanks, Jimbo, for the BD wishes

and blessings to all BRs, Chris.” His new contact info is as follows: Chris and Linda Fleet, 265 Oak Ridge Circle, Richmond Hill, Georgia 31324, and (540) 305-4369.

Ray Crickenberger had his next birthday Jan. 16.When I spoke with him, he was having lunch with a daughter, with another daughter coming later in the evening. He is well.

The following brother rats had the following birthdays: Dave Lennon Jan. 22, Buddy Frith Jan. 27, George Ax Jan. 24, Al “Denny” Zay Jan. 9, Al Smith Feb. 2, and Howard Moss Feb. 3. I did not speak with any. They either got a voicemail or an email.

On Feb. 10, Joe Morabit had his next birthday. Joe got a voicemail birthday wish.

On Feb. 12, I spoke with Ed Martin and Jon Parnell and was able to send them birthday wishes. Jon and I had a lengthy conversation about nothing significant, but it was a pleasure. They both reported that they were doing well.

After the snail mail delay, I received the following message from Jeep Goodwillie: “Still fooling the Grim Reaper, and Linda and I are doing well. Three great-grandkids (in Richmond) and seven grandkids in Virginia, Indiana, Alabama, Tennessee, and Missouri. Linda is still busy with her property management work (30 rental units in and around The Villages, Florida), and I continue my role as a happy retirement slug. Too many medical issues to list but staying busy and happy with the pen-making hobby. We hope you, Ruth, and the family stay healthy, happy, and safe. Jeep & Linda.” Thanks for the update, Jeep.

On Feb. 15, Brother Rats Jeep Goodwillie and Bill Keens had their next birthdays. I was unable to speak with either, but they got birthday emails. This brings this edition of our class notes to

a close. No pictures in this edition, so get those smartphones busy. I hope you all had a happy Valentine’s Day. Please remember to keep VMI in your contributions, with emphasis on our Bayliss and Tumlinson awards. Come see us when you are in Lexington. As always, it is a pleasure and privilege to be your class agent.

In the Spirit, Jimbo

1961

Sal Vitale Jr.

As reported in the last issue, Sue and I attended the Institute Society Dinner. Then, it was a goodbye dinner for Sue and me in Williamsburg hosted by Larry and Joanne Respess and Larry and Jerri Wetsel and Gaylia Hudgins. It was a wonderful time, and I will miss being with them. The next week it was Thanksgiving with the family in Maryland and then back to Virginia and packing more boxes. Then the hammer dropped, and I was off to the hospital Nov. 30 with A-fib. What a lousy time to be in the hospital. Sue and I missed the wonderful cocktail party at John Tharrington’s house the evening preceding the Andrew J. Goodpaster Award. John, with the help of his friend, Lois, hosted 30 people, including Paul Levengood, Marshall Foundation executive director; Foundation trustees; and high-level staff; along with Brother Rats Ray and Sally Hanlein; Carl and Becky Hirsch; Dave Harbach and Sandra Coleman; Ben Lynch; George Henning and Barbara Beattie; Spike and Mary Callander; Larry and Jerri Wetsel; Kenner and Nancy Rice; Ben Lynch; and other VMI people, including Michael Williams ’65, Jay and Cathy Wegryzn ’66, Randolph and Priscilla Williams ’66, Clay Tharrington ’06, and Megan Ederle and friend. The award dinner for Gen. Peay ’62 was held at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington. I was so proud that the class sponsored a “one-star” level and had two tables of brother rats and guests. The one-star sponsors were Raine Gilbert, Jack “J.D.” Miller, Dave Harbach, Ben Lynch, Holmes Smith, George Henning, Ashby Taylor, Bill Braithwaite, and Sal Vitale. Unfortunately, at the last minute, Taylor, Braithwaite, and Vitale could not attend. Carl and Becky Hirsch, Mark and Cathy Vitale Muckelbauer, Megan Ederle,

Class of 1960: Jim Tumlinson (left) and Steve Riethmiller ’63 attend a VMI football game.

Sandra Coleman, Barbara Beattie, and Keith Gibson ’77 sat with the group. I was in my hospital bed and very depressed about not being home helping Sue pack and missing all the Goodpaster Award activities when the phone rang, and it was Gen. Peay We talked about the support the class has shown for him, the state of the Institute, and concluded by him wishing me a quick recovery. It made my day. When the movers arrived, packed up, and departed for Maryland, I was still in the hospital.

When I left the hospital, I went to Bill Gibbings’ house for the night, and the next day, my son-in-law drove Sue and me to Maryland. We finally made it to Maryland Dec. 11. Unloading in Maryland was happening when I was still in the hospital. Reports were coming in from Maryland that the unloading of the furniture and boxes was “crazy.” Boxes went everywhere, and usually in locations they were not supposed to be. A special thanks to VMI volunteer James Mansfield ’21 for helping my daughters, Lynn and Barbara. The first floor, basement, and garage were full of boxes, and the real work still goes on. It seems to me that for every box that is emptied, two more are born at night. Christmas Eve and Christmas dinners were at daughters’ Lynn and Cathy, and on New Year’s Eve, we slept in our bed for the first time surrounded by 100 boxes. What a wild time it has been. For the first time in over 20 years, we were not with Joyce and Bill Gibbings for New Year’s Eve. It was a very sad evening, and we went to bed early. We celebrated our 62nd wedding anniversary (Jan. 6) by opening boxes. We continue to search for doctors. It is not as easy as I thought it would be. At this time, we plan to attend the Amelia Island mini reunion and, immediately after, fly to Saint Martin for a few weeks. As of sending in these notes, we finally saw the floor. Here is the news from the class.

Fred and Sheila Kressierer celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary. Fred got sick, ruined the anniversary party, and went to the hospital. Fred is now a member of the heart valve club and is doing well. What a great Christmas picture of Fred, Sheila, their four children, and their nine grandchildren.

Several weeks before the passing of Dunbar Hoskins, Fred and Carolyn Ayers were on a cruise from Florida through the Panama Canal to San Francisco, where they met Dunbar and Ann for dinner. Fred said he did not appear in

Cinny says Hershell is dealing very well with his Parkinson’s. Ben and Nancy Birindelli have had some adjustments since Ben was diagnosed with dementia.

Bob and Suellen Reitz have had another busy year. Suellen is still the public affairs director for the community, and this has turned out to be a full-time, nonpaying job. Bob got his buck this year and, when not hunting, remains active in Veterans Affairs and handwriting long letters to the VMI superintendent. Give Bob a call.

Frank and Marion Oley are well; end of communication.

Harrison and Terry Fridley are in good health. Terry said they are making good use of their first-floor bedroom. (Completely understand—smile).

Sue and I stopped at the Hollowells’ after the Institute Society Dinner, and we enjoyed our visit with them. Rev. Ed and Phyllis are still very active in the Anglican Church of the Valley. They meet in the Jewish temple in Staunton, and sometimes that can be a little daunting, especially with all the security that is now in place at the temple. It was too long between visits.

Barry Orndorff is still trying to adjust to his new environment. He said his days have gone from 100% bad to about 50%. Hopefully, we’ll see him at the Paint Bank lunch in October.

Bob and Jeannie Burks usually attend alumni dinners in The Villages. Bob says that about 20-30 show up, and they retell old stories. Jeannie had cancer removed from her leg and is part of a study for Alzheimer’s cure.

Dude Copenhaver celebrated his birthday twice, once on his birthday with Bob and Jeannie Burks and then again with Hill and Heather Browning.

the best of health. Dunbar’s passing was due to a life-threatening reaction from a trial medication he wanted to try. It seems he knew he had few chances for life, if any.

John Gangemi found at his new residence quite a few people he already knew. John’s unpacking experience was similar to ours in that parting with photo boxes, postcards, and souvenirs is difficult.

John’s Parkinson’s disease is sort of in control, and he has been very fortunate in having only one fall this past year.

Hershell and Cinny Murray are doing OK.

Connie and Bill Nelms made a major change in their lives and moved to an independent living community named Brandermill Woods. They also gave up their timeshare at Virginia Beach.

Ed Doleman has been spending his time writing and working with local Military Officers Association and the Interfaith Council as a member of the vestry of their church. The officers’ association has a scholarship program for Junior ROTC grads and organizes large annual Memorial Day service activities. Ed is getting ready for the publication of two mysteries set in Northern Neck, with

sleuths being a retired couple.

Shirley Hartford is still house hunting. Her

the

Class of 1961: At the Gumbo Limbo Restaurant in Naples, Florida, are (from left) Hill Browning, Heather Browning, Lee Crow, and Dude Copenhaver.

Class of 1961: John Tharrington (left) and Raine Gilbert at the presentation of the George C. Marshall Foundation’s Andrew J. Goodpaster Award to retired U.S. Army Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III ’62, superintendent emeritus, at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia, Dec. 1, 2023.

California house did not sell, so her Tennessee house offer collapsed. To finish the year, she is on a criminal trial jury. Very interesting!

Clayton Smith’s wife, Jan, unfortunately, fell on New Year’s Eve and suffered a fractured pelvis and requires a lengthy rehabilitation. She is in assisted rehab in Jacksonville, and Clayton travels back and forth every day from Amelia Island. In spite of all this, Clayton will host the BRs in April here on the island.

Battle Haslam recently tried again to call Lee Badgett. No answer. Battle had to leave a voicemail for his daughter, Nancy Pierce. Nancy left Battle a voicemail, including a lengthy message with some unexpected info. Here are quotes from Nancy: “My dad is absolutely fine. We moved him this year.” (She didn’t say where). “He doesn’t answer his phone much, but his phone number is the same. He’s really doing very, very well. Thank you for checking in on him. Next time I’m with him, I’ll call you.”

Jim Oliver said Connie is no longer in hospice (my error last issue) and is doing pretty well, considering that Lewy Body dementia never gets better. Mobility and eating are now the most difficult challenges. Jim has caregivers for 33 hours per week; otherwise, Jim is her primary caregiver. Please continue to lift Jim and Connie up in your prayers.

home. They took golf clubs (of course), and while out for dinner one evening, Bert tripped over a curb in a parking lot and cracked her hip and beat up her ribs and leg. Kent got her home (ask him how). The next day, they both tested positive for COVID-19 (no fever). That afternoon, the doctors determined Bert cracked her hip, but with some rest, she should recover nicely.

Bob Coltrane said Loretta has been keeping in touch with Ron McNemar’s daughter, Jodi, who reports that both Ron and Fran spend most of their time these days sleeping. Apparently, they do not respond too much and are patiently waiting for their turn to go to the big Parade Ground in the sky. Loretta is currently undergoing rehab therapy twice a week for sore neck problems.

Bob Tyson Jr. has been in contact with me concerning his father, our BR Bob Tyson. I was told the following: Arthur Wilson Tyson, his grandfather, was a West Point grad, class of 1933. Arthur was stationed in Pearl Harbor during the Dec. 7 attack along with his family, including a little boy, our brother rat, Bob. In 2018, Bob related the attack story and how the family hid to a local Augusta, Georgia, news affiliate, and I saw a clip of the interview.

Bill Gibbings is doing OK. His dementia is about the same. Joyce Gibbings sent me an article on the Colonial Parkway murders. You probably heard it has finally been solved. I remember Irv Wells, the FBI special agent in charge of the FBI in Norfolk at that time, talked to a BR gathering one day about how disappointed he was that he had to retire without solving this case. It really bothered him. It’s too bad DNA was not available to Irv during that investigation. I am sure he is smiling now.

Howard Dyer moved to a retirement facility in Brevard. Dianne said, “Moving was no fun trying to get rid of all the stuff we all collected!” They are in independent living in a two-bedroom apartment! No more home maintenance, yard work, or taxes, etc.! Very nice spot right in Brevard, which the Dyers love. Howard has Parkinson’s and is with a great doctor in Charlotte who encourages him to stay moving! Dianne had a fall and broke five ribs and had a tough recovery, but time is her only relief! Got to keep moving and walk every day and do exercises.

Bill and Marci Keech are doing OK. Bill talks to Gen. Peay frequently. Bobby Mitchell ’62, Peay’s VMI roommate, moved into the assisted living facility near Bill.

Paul Johnston had his knee operation in December, and it is coming along. Debra is still not doing well. Paul sold his cabin in North Carolina and misses it already.

Ken and Bert Modine had a five-day Modine/ Shnider Christmas at Siesta Key, which meant Bert basically did no Christmas decorating at their

Harrison Fridley sent me an article titled “Lost in Colors and Brushstrokes,” focusing on Brother Rat Dick Weede’s wife, Anne’s, painting of Natural Bridge presented to the Natural Bridge Garden Club, where Anne was a member.

Spike Callander has continuing heart and kidney issues but is still plugging along. Mary said they are finally settled after this second move.

I can’t say enough about the cocktail party John Tharrington, with the help of his friend, Lois Lawler, hosted the evening before the Goodpaster/Peay award. I heard there were Alaskan King crab legs, to mention one of many fine items, and a good selection of red and white wines. Leave it to John, and it will be a wonderful event. The only thing he could have done better was send a plate to the hospital for me. (Smile.)

Manny Puette has neuropathy in his feet and hands and was told by his neurologist his case is severe. Manny would appreciate any information you have learned about neuropathy and share it with him. (Me, too!)

Elaine Werner Wilkinson is still living in New York City and is fine. She is still in the same apartment with her wonderful lab, Rockbridge, who comforts and provides safety.

Judson McLester was in Chicago with the grandkids for Christmas and then Virginia for New Year’s Eve with Suzy.

Barbara Jean LeFon is home and feeling well.

Class of 1961: At the reception following Jim Bickford’s memorial service in Norfolk, Virginia, are (from left) Larry Wetsel, Willard Hoskins, Rhett Clarkson, Dorsey Pender, and Don Kern.

Class of 1961: Jim and Blair Bickford at a class Christmas party in Williamsburg, Virginia, in 2019.

She is preparing to start a round of radiation/chemo and is anxious to get that behind her because it is five weeks every day of treatments. Her broken hip is better.

Jude Elliott has been in and out of the hospital and spent four months in Orlando with her son recovering. She is now back at home.

The Lisieckis have had a challenging four months. In August, Mary Ann fell while walking their dog and broke her pelvis, which healed itself, and her hip was fine. All kinds of rehab, and she was improving steadily until she slipped getting into bed and hit her back and head. There was some internal brain bleed, which they said they can correct without surgery, thank God. Good news: They have a granddaughter who is in her first year of medical school.

John Rudibaugh and family took a Christmas Disney cruise with 10 grandchildren and their parents. John said it was great being with family. John’s grandson is now a corporal and doing well. (Grandpa was a private, correct?)

Mitch and Jennifer Kot were sorry they couldn’t attend the Bickford funeral because they were in Austria skiing. The Kots are still USA guardians for the four Vietnamese children.

Dick Jarvis’ health is not great but is getting better. Dick has been nice enough to send me articles from newspapers I do not subscribe to.

Bill Hala had a large saddle pulmonary embolism. It was discovered in his right leg (the source of the lung clot), and he is back at home under “barracks confinement. No Florida this year, among other restrictions.” Bill feels very lucky as he dodged a bullet.

Funerals are events I wish we had less of. We lost an exceptional brother rat when Jim Bickford passed. To quote Ray Hanlein, “I think Jim was the closest thing to being the ‘Renaissance man’ of our class!” Jim headed up the most famous class project, the Red Book and Supplements, featuring our stories. Jim attended most all of the golf outings and, at many of them, taught a painting class for those interested. He had a talent for developing projects, for teaching, and for painting, and many of his paintings can be found in the Norfolk Yacht Club. On the day of the memorial service, the weather report kept changing, and for those out of town, driving was to be dangerous at best. The good news was the service was to be livestreamed, and the church would provide the link. When it was time, I went to the church page and could not find a link. Panic set in, and I called the church but no answer, so I left a message. Fifteen minutes later, I received a call back telling

me the family was to provide the link. After begging the churchperson, she gave me the link, and I sent it out to as many as I could. Wyatt Durrette wasn’t coming because his house was without heat, and even though they have three fireplaces, he was uncertain if he should leave Monica and their dogs home alone, and after all, there was a livestream. Murphy’s Law at work. Those attending the church service were Don Kern, Dorsey Pender, Larry Wetsel, Rhett and Jan Clarkson, Sue Patrick, Ben Lynch, Ashby and Sandra Taylor, and Willard Hoskins The funeral service was very long, two-plus hours, and after the service, there was a reception at the Norfolk Yacht Club, and several of the class attended. John Moore, Jim’s roommate, was in the hospital and tried to livestream but could not. John had a relapse to his MS due to an UTI infection. John is now home and doing fine.

Recently, I spoke to Bill Redd about how he and his wife were doing. He said he was happy to be near his children. The next thing I hear is from Tim Bryant that Bill was in the hospital, and then very suddenly, Tim called to tell me William “Bill” Anderson Redd had passed. Bill was a VMI supporter all the way. George Henning attended Bill’s service in Greenville, North Carolina. We lost a sister rat, Barbara Phlegar. Tom Phlegar said his wife had weeks to live, but it was only days. Her church ceremony in Charlotte was attended by 32 people, mostly from Tom’s family. Barry Orndorff and Dianne Stone attended the church service. Two days later, David Harbach and Sandie and Harold and Cilia Kurstedt were at the Phlegar family burial site in Virginia, not far from the Phlegar farm. After the burial, the Riverview Baptist Church ladies had a sumptuous covered dish sit-down dinner for all the guests. I talked to Tom just before sending in these notes, and he indicated that he may well join us at Amelia Island in April and after traveling north to see brother rats.

Two BRs who routinely call to check on me are Larry Wetsel from wherever he is in the world and Lou Shuba Both are OK, and Lou, like me, is a little tired and can’t chop wood like we used to. Love it!

I am sure you want an update on the status of the Vitale/Respess lawsuit against the VMI Alumni Association. After the judge in Lexington refused our appeal for reconsiderations, Larry Respess and I directed our attorney to appeal our case to the Virginia Supreme Court. We are waiting for a decision. I find it very interesting that the VMI Alumni Association is currently seeking emails

from graduates to fill out their “profile.” I guess we should have used the word profile in our request from the VMI Alumni Association and avoided the expense for lawyers. How foolish for anyone today not to think that email is part of your address, a.k.a. profile. Maybe the judge would have had a different ruling. I am very pleased that the VMI Alumni Association is looking to eliminate in-person voting for new directors. Voting electronically is a giant step forward, but it is not enough. What is needed, in my view, is a complete rewriting of the VMI Alumni Association Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws. Specifically, the selection for how nominations for the directors’ slate of proposed officers. I believe nominations should be open to all and not limited to just the few presented by the Association on their proposed slate. Currently, with electronic voting or in person, you are limited to either voting for or against the entire Association slate. No write-in candidates. I have asked the Association on several occasions to re-examine what was changed in 2019 by the Association with no input from the alumni. A wonderful immediate change could be determining the director slate. This request has fallen on deaf ears. After all, you lose control if the “right people” are not elected. Think on it.

Many of you have asked me about annual giving. I have decided to focus my giving on restricted funding activities such as the Peay Endowment scholarship program for VMI graduates. This scholarship would provide resources for those alumni who desire to return to VMI and teach but need to earn their master’s and Ph.D.s before doing so. The number of VMI graduates teaching today is in single digits, and this needs to be increased if we ever expect to have educators who appreciate the VMI experience. There is another section of the Peay Endowment which focuses on cadet scholarships. I avoided contributions to the remaining two areas of the Peay Endowment because they appear to me to be unrestricted funds, which means they can be for any activity deemed worthwhile. Hope this helps.

I want to thank all of the brother rats, widows, and VMI friends who took the time to remember Sue and me at Christmas with letters, emails, and family pictures. Unfortunately, this year, some of our regulars are missing. I post the names so you will know who is still alive and kicking: Peggy Alligood Hayes Ayers, Bella, Bryant, Browning, Burks, Birindelli, Callander, Coen, Coltrane, Daniels, Doleman, Durrette, Gerry Eubank, Fridley, Gangemi, Gibbings, Nina Grazulis, Goldman, Gouldthorpe, Hanlein, Harbach,

Class Notes

Harrison, Hartford, Haslam, Henning, Gaylia Hudgins, Hirsch, Ed Hollowell, Bonnie Hurley, Jarvis, Paul Johnston, Keech, Kiger, Kot, Kressierer, Lisiecki, Maurer, Modine, Hershel Murray, McLester, Myruski, Nelms, Oley, Orndorff, Bill Phillips, Phlegar, Reitz, Respess, Rutledge, Clayton Smith, Thomas, Wash, Weede, Wetsel, Woodcock, and Elaine Wilkinson. From VMI friends: My dyke’s wife, Gerry Madison; John Van Kesteren ’59; and Jeff Kaster ’90. A special thanks to all the widows.

We live in a troubled world, and some days, I am glad to be 85 years young, and statistically, my time is drawing near. I am blessed to have a great, loving family, which includes all of you. Stay well, call a brother rat you have not heard from, and do not forget our widows. God bless you, our soldiers, VMI, and the United States of America. Let’s hear from you soon.

1962

Edmund R. Strickler

John Mott Robertson

I heard from Bill Ritchie on his birthday. He tells me that his great-grandchildren number five and six is on the way, and he is still teaching Spanish at St. Pete College. He is not sure if they know how old he is, so we will keep it a secret. He hopes to publish a commentary on the Gospel of Matthew next year or a couple of children’s books. Bill and Terry Lou celebrated 60 years of marriage in July and are still going strong. He has a grandson in the Air Force and a granddaughter going to work on a Ph.D. in piano. They had a great time in Austin with their daughter and for their grandson’s graduation from boot camp at Lackland Air Force Base (San Antonio). If you’re ever in St. Pete Beach, Florida, look him up. He sold the sailboat, but you can sip something and sit on the dock. Later in this quarter, Bill sent an interesting update. As previously stated, he teaches Spanish at St. Pete College. On occasion, he will get soldiers in his class who he enjoys interacting with. His most recent class had three soldiers. As they were introduced to each other, the one Army guy

said he was formerly with the 82nd Airborne. “I asked him if he remembered a General Peay as commander of the 101st; never mind that the student was probably in his crib when Binnie was a general. Anyway, another student, Jeff Dudas ’07, also military and a newcomer to the class said, ‘Is that Binford Peay?’ I said, ‘Yes, but we called him Binnie. He was a classmate of mine at VMI.’ Jeff then said, ‘I went to VMI. General Peay was the superintendent.’” Bill was very surprised, and he told Jeff that he was Class of 1962 and asked him if he had finished. He said he didn’t finish but enlisted after a couple of years at the Institute. He would have graduated with the Class of 2007. Very small world! Bill says that even though one of his sons teaches at JMU and he visits Massanutten periodically, he has only been to Lexington a couple of times since graduating. He is grateful that he had the opportunity to attend VMI since it formed the basis for a disciplined, positive outlook. He met the Lord in 1970, and the Lord’s and VMI’s foundation have carried him this far. At church, one of his best friends is a retired colonel from the Army, class of ’63, from The Citadel. They compare notes and cheer for their teams when they play.

Tom Henriksen says he never imagined when we were cadets at VMI that he would reach the ripe old age of 84, but here he is, along with his brother rats. He is still writing, although not books. He has been commenting on foreign problems facing the United States. The Hoover Institution is still printing the three-to-four-page essays, so he is still engaged—at least for now. Tom is still swimming three times a week but is fast reaching the point where his time in the shower is longer than his time in the pool!

Stinson and Julie Jones attended the Goodpaster Award ceremony for Brother Rat Binnie and complimented him on his acceptance speech. Their daughter lives in the Alexandria area, and they spent the weekend with her family. Stinson has been retired for the past 12 years and is thoroughly enjoying it. They recently sold their home of 50 years and are moving to a senior living facility in Fort Worth.

Ed Vinieratos says that all is well in Athens, Greece. While feeling nostalgic for our post-Thanksgiving, American Christmas season festivities, he shared a Christmas photo with his Ukrainian friends. Unsuspectedly, he was informed of his premature celebratory mood in deference to Ukraine’s celebration of their Dec. 6, St. Nick’s Day. The following is a good history lesson on St. Nick. Ed says he should have remembered

this day after all of his time in the East. We in the West relate St. Nick with Dec. 25. He thought he would research and refresh his memory with the importance of Dec. 6 with the aid of Microsoft’s AI and share this interesting story, both biographical and contemporary, with us. St. Nicholas Church, also known as the Church of St. Nicholas, is an ancient Eastern Roman Basilica church located in the ancient city of Myra, now a museum in modern Demre, Antalya Province, Turkey. The church was built in 520 A.D. on the foundations of an older Christian church where Saint Nicholas served as bishop. Over time, a nearby river changed course, and the church filled with silt and was ultimately buried. In 1862, Russian Tsar Nicholas I restored the church, adding the tower and making other changes to its Byzantine architecture. The church is regarded as the thirdmost important Byzantine structure in Anatolia. The good bishop was quite benevolent with the legend of giving. He anonymously dropped bags of coins down a nighttime chimney of a family with needy children. Children were the beneficiaries, and as we will learn, this is the connection to present-day Dec. 6 celebrations. This day is not just limited to Ukraine but also the populace of some other countries of the Orthodox Christian faith. For example, Russia and Belarus but not Greece and those diaspora areas of the U.S.A. and Canada. To wit: Chicago and Winnipeg, Canada. Let’s focus on Ukraine, though. St. Nicholas Day, known as Sviatyij Mykolai, is traditionally

Class of 1962: Ed Vinieratos at his home in Athens, Greece.

Class notes

celebrated in Ukraine Dec. 19 according to the Orthodox Julian calendar. However, following the Russian invasion in 2022, both the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, representing the majority of Christians in Ukraine, switched to the new liturgical calendar with St. Nicholas Day Dec. 6. The day is celebrated as a universal children’s festival. It is a happy day with visiting and sleigh rides. Schools have plays telling Nicholas stories, and the saint visits local churches. Dressed as a Byzantine bishop, the good saint is often accompanied by angels. He quizzes children on their catechism before giving gifts. Gifts, placed by St. Nicholas under the pillow or in boots during the night of Dec. 5, are usually sweets—gingerbread, chocolate, candies, fruit, marshmallows—and toys, games, books, and a warm scarf or gloves. I am sure all of you history majors knew this, but I didn’t. Thanks, Ed. I was not able to attend the ceremonies presenting the Andrew J. Goodpaster Award to our Brother Rat Peay, but I understand from those who were there it was a wonderful affair and a richly deserved honor for Binnie. Ware Smith did an excellent job as a member of the dinner committee and getting the word out to our class. Following is a list of those who represented our class: Joyce Allen, John and Cynthia Anthony, Buck and Louise Bradley, Howard and Nell Cobb, Doug and Signe Marechal, Bob Mitchell, Wayne Pacine, Mott and Diane Robertson, Ware Smith, Dick Willard, Stinson and Julie Jones, and Carolyn Worrell. If I left anyone out, I apologize. See the Alumni News section of this issue for more concerning this event.

Gary Kaylor writes that he and his significant other, Erin, recently spent 35 wonderful days touring on their own many of the archaeological sites of Egypt and Greece. They later spent another two weeks in Argentina, where Gary played for the U.S.A. in the World Basketball Championships. Speaking of basketball, he just finished a threeyear span where he may have been arguably the best 80-plus player in the world. It started in September 2019 when Gary scored 25 of his team’s 54 points in Helsinki, Finland, in the 80-plus-year-old

Class of 1962: Mike Lilge celebrates his 84th birthday with his daughter, Elaine McAden.

Class of 1962: Members of the class and their guests gather with retired U.S. Army Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III, superintendent emeritus, as Peay receives the Andrew J. Goodpaster Award from the George C. Marshall Foundation during a dinner held at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia, Dec. 1, 2023.—Photo courtesy George C. Marshall Foundation.

division championship against the Russian team in the FIMBA World Basketball Championships. He received the team MVP award. There were no championships played in 2020. Gary followed that up in May 2021 in the U.S.A. Masters 5-on-5 Basketball Championships as being the top scorer of all 80-plus-year-old players in leading his team to the national championship. Again, he received the MVP Award. He was the leading scorer again in 2022 and the third leading scorer in 2023. The younger 80-plus-year-olds caught up with them in 2023. They finished second in the Masters National Championships and second in the National Senior Games in Pittsburgh in 2023. Gary is sure people would wonder how someone who did not play for VMI would reach this level. He played on his high school football, basketball, and baseball teams and was one of the five nominees for the 1958 B’nai Brith Award as the Best Graduating Athlete in all of the high schools in the Roanoke area. He received a full scholarship to VMI outside of athletes. He was invited to practice with the VMI football team two weeks before school started. He was the original starting right end on the rat team until he encountered a severe rib injury that took him out for three weeks. When he returned, he had lost his starting position, so he decided not to play. Instead, he was the starting right end and safety on the Foxtrot intramural football team, and in the Army, he was the starting tight end on the 1964 Fort Moore (formerly Benning) football team. Basketball-wise, Gary has played on a basketball team almost every year since 1968. After he retired, he began playing in gyms in Raleigh with former ACC players, and they invited him to play on their team in the state and national championships. He played basketball three to four times per week for two hours and went to practice on his own three to four times per week for the past 17 years. Gary is still going strong and living a very happy, comfortable life with Erin. He has quite an impressive record for someone who is as old as the rest of us! Keep it up, Gary.

Mike Lilge writes that he is doing well despite being in dialysis and recently celebrated his 84th birthday with his daughter, Elaine McAden.

Rob Sheldon replied from Las Cruces, New Mexico, where he is completely retired, where the sun always shines, and life is good. Most of his time is spent maintaining his home and cooking his meals. He is also active in his church, the Rotary Club, the New Mexico Watercolor Society, practicing pistol marksmanship, and he plays pickleball three times a week. He was active as a volunteer fire service training instructor at the

County Training Center until the COVID-19 pandemic when the government locked out the volunteers. Life isn’t perfect without his wife, but he is thankful to be healthy and active.

Cal Seybold says that 2023 was much slower than the last one. They did not take any major trips and basically settled into their normal everyday life. Roxanna is working with the Wabash County Museum Board and organization, while Cal is serving as an officer in the American Legion and the VFW organizations. They both are involved with their church. He still maintains his service-disabled veteran-owned small business sole proprietorship company, CCS Consultants, and its active status in the U.S. federal government’s System for Awards Management. Cal received a distinct honor this year with his recognition as a 2023 Marquis Who’s Who in America selectee. The selection press release can be found at the official Marquis Who’s Who website at 24-7pressrelease. com/press-release-service/506712.

Bill Mizell writes that he had a reverse shoulder replacement surgery Nov. 28 and is confined to a sling since then and probably through the new year. Naturally, it is his right shoulder, and he is right-handed, too. Double jeopardy! That and some heart issues have played havoc with his golf game in 2023. He visited with Rosser and Kate Bobbitt at the Princess Anne Country Club Thanksgiving buffet, and they still look great. He also spent some time visiting and talking with his old roommate, Monty Williams, and Carol over the last few months. His days are spent mainly working at home, still following the financial markets. After all, with 47 active years in the investment business and now retired since January 2014, it is still that part of life that keeps him interested and involved and, hopefully, helps keep the mind stimulated and exercised, a much-needed activity at this stage in life. So far, so good!

Wayne Pacine says that his wife, Jolin, is living her dreams. Since retiring in early 2023, she has traveled to Iceland, Ecuador, and Turkey and left for a three-week trip to Taiwan in January. He says, at 84, he is thankful to still have the health and strength to go skeet/trap shooting every weekend. In addition, he is still working as a contractor at DHS and serves as an adjunct professor at the Stonier Graduate School of Banking at Wharton at the University of Pennsylvania.

Bill Lewis writes that he and Cathy spend about six months a year in Florida and about the same in North Carolina (Lake Junaluska). They are also discussing a possible trip to a little town in Mexico in March. Prior to COVID-19, they had visited

this place eight times in eight years for a month at a time. It was fun to meet up with many of the same folks, many from the Midwest, who also go every year. The town is San Miguel De Allende, south of the town of Leon. It has the largest art institute in Mexico, and the town is small enough to travel the streets as a pedestrian.

Monty Williams recently heard from one of his old roommates, Mercer MacPherson. Mercer and his wife, Carol, now live in San Juan Capistrano, California. He has had quite a few health problems, beginning in December 2021, when he flew to New York to see the Hokies in the Pinstripe Bowl. He had a bad fall, suffered a concussion, had to go to the ER, and never got to see the game. In September 2022, Mercer was hospitalized with a UTI and renal failure and has been battling these and various other ailments since that time. On a brighter note, they had an exchange student from Switzerland, Kimon, stay with them from January through June 2022. He is the grandson of one of Mercer’s customers in the 1970s. This was a wonderful experience since they had watched Kimon grow up from a small boy. Monty mentioned that Mercer graduated from Tech and was a pilot in the Air Force. He had a successful career with Caterpillar, selling heavy-duty earth-moving equipment until his retirement. He was also a private pilot and had his own plane. After forgetting to put a stamp on the Christmas card to Weldon Eddins, it came back to me. Can’t understand that! Anyway, I then put a stamp on it, resent it to Weldon, and received the following information. He and Nancy are doing well in Hawaii and enjoyed the holidays with all of their 18 family members there for Christmas. They also celebrated their 61st anniversary Dec. 29. All of their grandkids and spouses from the mainland were there and had a great time visiting their cousins who reside in Hawaii. Most are now out of college and in the workforce. He and Nancy are still able to travel to the mainland four months a year to continue visiting family and friends. They still have a second property in Florida. They try to make a point of seeing Pat Morrison and John Shelhorse during their travels.

George Collins sent in lots of information, and I will let him tell you in his own words.

“Racing my Farr 400 Invicta in the Long Island Sound this past summer produced four regatta victories out of four tries. The boat is now 301; the only race lost was by the No. 2-ranked match racing champion in the world, as I was recovering from surgery and watched painfully from shore. On his behalf, the breeze went

flat before the finish, and the entire fleet corrected over us. Maureen and I sailed on Seabourn off Denmark and Norway in July. We enjoyed a rousing night from Cyclone Hans, clocked at 60 kts. I got a chance to swim in the ship’s pool with water pumped in from the Barents Sea at 46 degrees temp. One length equals 35 feet. Only eight passengers on the ship participated. I would note

Class of 1962: Mercer MacPherson at Christmas 2023 with his wife, Carol; daughter, Heather; and son-in-law.

Class of 1962: Gary Kaylor and his significant other, Erin, on a recent trip to Egypt.

swimming for the superfish, Coach Arnold, was much more challenging. ... In early October, we cruised on the American Cruise Lines from Portland, Maine, to Quebec City. Would you believe there are 18 golf courses on Prince Edward Island, and the natives swim in the seawater in July and August? In Rockport, Maine, all the passengers ate at a real New England clam bake. There were many on the ship [who] enjoyed lobster for the first time. Having grown up in New England, we found ourselves picking through and cracking many lobsters for fellow passengers. We continue to occupy ourselves with steady trips to our favorite doctors. Maureen is recovering from cancer surgery and doing very well. Unfortunately, we had to return from Miami to Yale New Haven Hospital in January for medical monitoring. We have snow clothes in Miami, and the weather has been so cold we got to try them out a few times. After six months of no golf and no swimming, rotator cuff tears and a chronic bicep tear, and enduring much therapy, I am back to struggling through both. My handicap has ballooned to 22. Thanks to well-educated and talented physical therapists, progress continues slowly. It is a pleasure to be pushed around, as 83-year-olds offer little resistance. Our dog, Sully, helps keep us active as well. We have planned a short trip to St. Lucia in March. A short river cruise on the River of Gold in Porto, Portugal, in July. We are visiting Greece, London, and Ireland this summer with a 14-year-old grandson. We have 11 grandchildren and have traveled to Europe with nine on a two-on-one basis. One at a time is enough for us. At our age, this one will be challenging. We always end up at Doonbeg Golf Club in Ireland, where we are still members, and force the grandchildren to hit a few.”

There is an update on Carl Galanti I don’t like to report. About six months ago, his emails started getting returned to me. I gave him a call today and had a long talk with him and Ruthanne. They normally spend six months in Florida and six months in New Jersey. Last year, Carl wasn’t feeling well, went to the doctor, and then to the emergency room, where, among other tests, they did a spinal tap. Carl takes Eliquis, which, as you may or may not know, is an anticoagulant. He was supposed to be off of the Eliquis for 48 hours before the spinal tap, but they did it too soon. There were complications, and he is now paralyzed from the waist down. In talking with him, he seems to be handling it as well as could be expected at our age. There are lots of children and grandchildren that help keep his spirits up. Please keep Carl and Ruthanne in your prayers.

Monty Williams has had a few recent problems with his heart. He said he wore a heart rate monitor for a week and had several instances of tachycardia with a max of 255 bpm and a low of 35 bpm. His resting heart rate is about 50bpm, and he feels fine but is waiting on a pacemaker.

On a personal note, Margie and I celebrated our 50th anniversary Feb. 14. When we were married, I figured I would never live to see our 50th. Thanks to the good Lord, some good surgeons, good pharmaceuticals (all legal and prescribed!), and especially a wonderful wife, I (we) made it! I am sure some good bourbon helped also!! Hopefully, I will be around for our 65th Reunion in 2027. See you then. In the meantime, keep on sending in those photos and adventures.

In the Spirit, Edmund

1963

William C. Cowardin

Class of 1963: Bill Wells with Ward Harcus, great-grandson of Sam Hill ’55.

Thank all of your BRs for the responses to my call for news for these class notes. It’s always good to hear from you since it reflects an ongoing interest in each other and the Institute, where we were thrown together over 60 years ago.

Peggy Riethmiller is at it yet again. This time with Bill Wells. The two of them put together a magic show for the kids in Lexington. Bill is an

Class of 1963: At the home of Steve and Peggy Riethmiller are (from left)

Peggy Riethmiller; Bill Wells; and Trudy Reeves Melvin, wife of Jay Melvin ’80.

Class of 1963: Taz Hubard.

accomplished lifetime devotee of prestidigitation, er ... magic. Among other things, he has presented in Las Vegas. The show, obviously, went well, as can be seen from the expressions on the faces of his audience. Kudos to Bill and Peggy.

George Lanahan submitted from South Chungcheong, Korea. His email was about winning an award for conservation, but I want to

know more about how he came to be there and what life is like. Please augment the latest tidbit with more, George.

Denver Perkins responded to an invite to reveal how he came to be in Moab, Utah, but the story is deeper than that. Talking to Peggy Riethmiller on the phone, she mentioned a story one of the BRs told about the Army, Argentina, and medical school. When I asked if the subject was Denver Perkins, she recalled it was him and went on to relate a saga that explained some of Denver’s comments to me about his Army service in both combat arms and then as a medic for 30 years. I need Denver to elucidate for the next class notes. Stand by.

Tom Snyder sent a note. It was good to hear from him. He’s living in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Laments he rarely returns to the States and has lost many contacts in Virginia. Thank you, Tom, for staying in touch.

Bunny Reynolds stays in touch and contributes consistently to class affairs. After his attendance at the reunion in April ’23, I got several communications. First, he was moving from his home of 50 years to continuing care. The biggest one was the cough he thought was COVID-19 turned out to be more serious. He is being treated and hopefully will prevail. Prayers are in order.

Mike Curley, in his usual rabble-rousing manner, published the VMI recruitment ad, which ran in the Richmond Times-Dispatch Dec. 17, 2023. Comments rained from W.O. Jones, George Lanahan, Bill Wells, Bill Moore, Mike Schwartz, Jim Ellis, Gary Hermon, Dennis Crowley, Lance Bevins, Jim Hoge, Abe Patterson, Harry Redd, Pete Brunel, John Mills, Phil Vaughn, Gary Eifried, Frank Allison, Bob Byrd, and Bunny Reynolds. The reactions ran the gamut, but to me, it was gratifying to see so many of us express opinions on the matter. It appears that two subsequent ads were better received. It reflects our continued concern that the Institute maintains the highest standards and presents itself

in the light as we remember it.

Robert Marchant reports he and Mair have taken up residence at 90 Barnsley Road, Angier, North Carolina. He and Mair visited Kent and Mary Wilson in Lexington. He further reports the joyful arrival of his third great-grandchild, Liv, who arrived at 2:45 Jan. 31, 2024.

Tazewell Hubard writes he retired from over 50 years at the practice of law in Norfolk Jan. 1.During his time at the bar, he served as an

adjunct professor at William & Mary Law School, 19 years as a substitute judge, and mediated over 7,500 cases. He and Nancy will celebrate 60 years of marriage this summer. Two children and four grandchildren.

Paul Clare reports that he and Evelyn have returned to Austria. They sent Christmas greetings. Other Christmas greetings were gratefully received from Richard Warren, Phil Vaughn, Bob Troxler, John Mills, Taz Hubard, and Norm Skinrood.

Gatherings for lunch continue periodically. The swamp rats got together at the Hampton Yacht Club. Present were Bob Walton, Fred Lanier, Beau Walker, Bill Bell, Jan Gray, John Mills, Jim Key, Bill Cowardin, and Ed Patnesky Ed brought his son, retired U.S. Army Col. Todd Patnesky ’89, who lives in Colorado. (Note: Our children are military retired!)

The Richmond rats lunched in November and again Jan. 10. After losing proper accommodations, they convened at Kitchen 33 & Bakery. They meet on the second Tuesday of odd-numbered months. Lee Spessard, W.O. Jones, John Mills, Richard Warren, Bill Bell, Buddy Cato, Artie Phaup, and Mike Curley attended. Must have been raucous or dementia set in. No picture was taken.

Larry James sent a pic of Ring Figure with a female cadet in coatee and long white skirt emerging from a tunnel of swords with her date in a white tuxedo jacket. Couldn’t publish for technical reasons, but it’s a sign of change. Larry didn’t specify the year or the cadet pictured.

On another somber note, Pat Kelly wrote from M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston that he was about to undergo the knife to remove some bad stuff. Prayers for Pat.

Continuing on the somber side, I deem it my duty to report the passing of our brothers during the past months. Timothy J. Renaud passed away Nov. 1, 2023, in Geneva, Illinois. He is survived by two children. Tim was a professional engineer for the Port of Baltimore and was a master carpenter and astronomer.

Class of 1963: Fred Lanier, Beau Walker, John Mills, Bill Bell, Jan Gray, Bill Cowardin, Ed Patnesky, Jim Key, and Bob Walton gather for lunch in Hampton, Virginia, in December 2023.

Class of 1963: Billy Bell, Beau Walker, Tazewell Hubard, Bob Walton, Jan Gray, Fred Lanier, Johnny Mills, Ed Patnesky, Jimmy Key, Lee Spessard, and Bob Powell at the Hampton Yacht and Country Club in Hampton, Virginia, in February 2024.

Class notes

Retired U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Carl Patrick Campbell died Jan. 2, 2024, in Danville, Virginia. Pat roomed with Bo Savage and Joe Liberti his rat year. He was Bravo Company and a biology major. It is written of him, “If you didn’t want an honest answer, you’d better not ask him the question.”

Robert Gordon “Bob” Gregory passed away Jan. 31, 2024, at his home in Chesterfield, Virginia. He is survived by his wife, Susan Vohs Gregory; three sons; and a step-son. Rest in peace.

See you in three months. Keep those cards and letters coming.

Bill

1964

I’m writing this only two months before our 60th Reunion. And you’ll read it in the Alumni Review three weeks after the reunion.

Unfortunately, we lost quite a few brother rats this past quarter. I grieve for each and will miss them at the reunion.

I am able to talk on the phone to a regular cadre of brother rats: Dick Atkinson, Ed Hoy, Warren Budd, Hank Cronin, Buzz Birzenieks, Bob Warren, Dan DeForrest, Tom Myers, W.J. Kitchen, Butch Nunally, Andy Collier, Al Fiorini, Kerry Hines, Jeff Crump, Chris Hopkins, Ken Dice, Parker Duncan, George Warren, Bill Garber, Ed Seager, Walt Sykes, and King vonSchilling. Nothing particular among them except to report they all are busy, enjoying family, and apparently healthy.

However, there have been no photos from any of you since November, but several included a Christmas letter in their cards to Sherrel and me. So, for the first time in 18 years as class agent, I’ve no photos to add.

Ed and Harriet Hoy are enjoying life in North Carolina. “My brother, Edward, is planning to come, and I have booked a suite for him and his son. My wife, Harriet, is planning to come, as well. I hope both of them are well enough. Edward is having severe sciatica pain and may need back surgery, and Harriet has recently experienced a transient ischemic activity, which, in lay terms, is a mini-stroke. She couldn’t talk the other morning. I asked her to smile, and she could not do it,

nor could she raise both of her arms parallel to the floor. I immediately popped a baby aspirin in her mouth, and my son, Eddie, drove her to the emergency room at 87 miles an hour and was there in 12 minutes. My son and I got her in a wheelchair, and they took her immediately into IC. With a lot of praying, we were able to retrieve her in two days. They wanted to keep her longer, but I didn’t want her exposed to all the COVID-19 and RSV since the hospital was full of patients. Her neurologist and cardiologist said that we did all the right things within the first half hour. It has been a couple of weeks now, and she has fully recovered her speech; they said all is well, but she may have to have stents later. We monitor her blood pressure very closely now. I was dating Harriet as a 2nd Class cadet; she is looking forward to seeing the Institute again (she hasn’t been back since our June ’64 graduation) and meeting some BR sisters. I am wishing for a few warmer days in December to get in some fishing on Lake Norman, but it is not looking too promising. We didn’t go anywhere this summer because we had a lot of guests from California just about every month. We have been here in the Charlotte area since September 2018, and we love the house and the different seasons. The winters are milder than in the Lexington area. Any BRs are welcome to stop by if they are in the neighborhood. We have lots of extra bedrooms. My landline is (704) 6015322. I still take a few tax court matters, but I am finally retired, for the most part.”

Jerry Reid reports he misses Sandra and is staying active in his church and still drives. There is a lot of activity among his children and grandchildren—all of them thriving.

Bill McVey reported the arrival of their first great-grandchild. Premature, she spent three-plus months in neonatal intensive care but is home now. Millie is very active with a group of ladies who all play the ukulele.

Mary Jo Jordan also notified me that she has her first great-grandchild. She and Bill Bandy continue to travel extensively. Sam Jr. is a professor at SLU Law School. All of the children and grandchildren are excelling.

Tony Munera traveled to Puerto Rico for a family reunion. Tony’s brother, Charlie, died of COVID-19 and was buried by their father. To honor his dad’s final request, they poured a stiff drink at his gravesite. I’m not certain what people will be tempted to do on my grave. Hopefully, that will be 40 or 50 years in the future. Their son, Andy, an Army general, plans to retire shortly—32 years of service. Tony and Barbara have plans to move to

a retirement continuing care community this coming summer. Both of them still travel and work hard on their exercise routines.

W.J. and Lauranne Kitchen continue to travel the globe extensively. Their energy levels put me to shame. Plus, with several members of their family living in California, a lot of time between trips is spent enjoying having them all around.

Bob Warren: “By the way, I think you know that Cathy and I sold our home in Tennessee and settled into our villa in Florida earlier this year. In November, a house we liked very much here in Ballantrae became available, so we bought it and are in the process of personalizing it. That means a new roof, new garage floor, new garage doors, new closets, new A/C system, new gutters, new paint job, resurfacing the pool and replacing all the pool equipment, etc., etc. No Christmas this year; kids and grandkids are all up north with inlaws. So Cathy and I are moving and unpacking. Most fun I’ve ever had. But as usual, Cathy is doing most of the inside work, and I’m focusing on the outside. Lots of contractor estimates and proposal evaluations. I try to always get at least three estimates for all big jobs, and it’s amazing the dollar disparity between contractors for essentially the same work.

“We are preparing for the Africa cruise with the Atkinsons and Kitchens in March and expect to return to Lexington just in time for the reunion.”

Kerry Hines had lunch with the Hiltons and Muneras the first week in February. Together, they are the planning committee for the Sunday evening BBQ during the 55th Reunion. Thanks to all of them for stepping up.

We received a very nice handwritten note from Jim Atkins’ wife thanking the class for the flower arrangement at Jim’s ceremony.

Roy Peter’s wife, Roe, died in December. Due to hospice, her family was able to be with her.

Jim Crawford said, “I’m still hoping to make the reunion, but I just had bypass surgery and don’t know if I’ll be ready in time. I should because they told me I can start chipping and putting at the golf club, plus I am walking several miles a day.”

Parker Dunkin reported that he fell and broke his hip in January. As of this writing, he’s planning to attend the reunion as long as he can get along without a walker.

Michael Degman, a regular correspondent, said, “I live in Fairbanks, south of the Brooks Mountain Range. The dangerous forms of wildlife that live up here are even more dangerous than in other parts of Alaska since food resources

John R. Cavedo

are more restricted up here when you are in the wilds, whether you are just passing through or on foot. When I travel around the state, I generally take a loaded .44 Remington Magnum revolver with me. My focus is taking out the danger with the very first round. It saves money, and you don’t have to carry so much backup ammo.”

In closing, please try to remember that without input from you, there is very little to report. Since everyone has a smartphone, it should be easy to snap a photo worth sharing. We’re not that old.

1965

C. Lou Siegel

Conrad Mercer Hall was awarded the VMI Foundation Distinguished Service Award. You might have seen this in the most recent Alumni Review, from which much of the following is drawn, but it is here again. This was Founders Day, Nov. 10, 2023. His service to others is remarkable. He was on the VMI Foundation Board of Trustees for 17 years, was the founder and inaugural chairman of VMI Investment Holdings, vice chairman of An Uncommon Purpose (the most recent fundraising campaign), and member of the Peay 1962 Endowment for Academic Excellence cabinet. He established a scholarship in memory of his parents and endowed the Conrad M. Hall ’65 Chair in American Constitutional History, which every cadet must take in order to graduate. He has been a board member of Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters, the ACCESS College Foundation, Colonial Williamsburg, the Virginia Historical Society, Norfolk State University, Old Dominion University, and Eastern Virginia Medical School. He was married to the late, lovely Peggy Hall and had two sons, Cosby and Mercer, both in the field of education. You should read his interview in the 2024-Issue 1 Alumni Review. It is an honor to know and be associated with him.

Bill Cather: “Since Mia passed last August, I have tried to keep myself as busy as possible. First, I went to San Francisco with Robbie (my youngest son) while he swam the Alcatraz Swim; then, five days in Washington, D.C., with my daughter, Anna, and her

family on fall break; Atlanta for the national printing show; and lastly, a week in San Diego where I connected with a lady that I dated my 1st Class year and had not seen since. In between travels, I led the Scouts on a 20-mile hike for the 26th year; watched grandchildren play basketball, ballet, and gymnastics; and, tonight, attended a white coat ceremony for my granddaughter, Megan, who is getting her master’s in nursing at UAB. Next on my agenda is Rickwood [Field] (world’s oldest baseball stadium) for a game June 20 with the Dodgers versus the Cardinals, a project I and some others have worked towards for 30 years. It will be

Class of 1965: At the presentation of the George C. Marshall Foundation’s Andrew J. Goodpaster Award to retired U.S. Army Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III ’62, superintendent emeritus, at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia, Dec. 1, 2023, are Easley Moore, Charlie Price, Barbara Price, and Alice Moore.—Photo courtesy George C. Marshall Foundation.

preceded by a golf tournament of 24 teams with an ex-major leaguer on each team. Anyone interested?”

I usually notify the class of deaths in an email as they happen. I enclose obituaries as I can get them. I feel that something immediate is better than waiting for the Review. In case you missed them, we recently lost Eric Hart, George Dattore, Phil Taylor, and Pete Rondiak

Hugh Ewing (Note: This was sent to me by Hugh in summer 2023. I missed it and enclose it now): “After the Army and Darden, I worked with Wheat First Securities and Jim Wheat [’41] doing corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions. After an interim small firm, I started an M&A firm, Ewing Bemiss & Co., in 1990 which was sold to KPMG almost 10 years ago. I crossed paths with Greg Robertson occasionally along the way. I retired (over several years) about 10 years ago but still serve on four boards, which are phasing out. I think we met at VMI and wish we had been able to spend more time together. I hope you are enjoying retirement and reasonably good health. All the best, Hugh.”

The George C. Marshall Foundation Andrew J. Goodpaster Award dinner was held at the Army Navy Country Club Dec. 1, 2023, where the award was given to Gen. J.H. Binford Peay ’62, “Binnie” to the Class of ’65. Attending were Easley and Alice Moore, Conrad Hall, Charlie and Barbara Price, Andy Williams, Irwin and Linda McCumber, and Bob Law. I was scheduled to attend but had a long-lived upper respiratory issue that prevented my coming. Greg Robertson was also to attend but was kept in Florida by a physical issue.

I (Lou) am still with Valley Supportive Housing in Staunton. It is a most rewarding work. VSH leases single-occupancy apartments only to those with a diagnosed mental health illness. We have grown to 68 units, all in Staunton. See our website at valleysupportivehousing.org.

Class of 1965: On a bird hunt in Georgia are Jay Standing, son-in-law of Bruddy Baillio; Briggs Standing, grandson of Bruddy Baillio; Russ Proctor; and Brandon Nexsen, Russ’ son-in-law.

From the Hon. J. Mac Marshall: “Well, since the last newsletter, it has been steadily busy at our end of the world. New Year’s Eve was a great time for Jamie and me to go out and leave the cell phones at home. She makes me look good, no matter when, though. In January, I went to San Antonio for a construction conference where I do a mock trial for engineers and construction folks. It is interesting to be the only liberal artist in the room for four days, but it is also fun.

Class of 1965: Johnny Mac Marshall (left) and Mike Flinn ’80 in San Antonio, Texas, in January 2024.

Class of 1965: Bill Cather (left) with Rachelle, Robbie, and Megan Cather at Megan Cather’s graduation from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing in Birmingham, Alabama.

In the middle of the conference, I had a chance to have a mini reunion with Mike Flinn ’80 at supper. Of course, as the photo shows, it was at a Mexican restaurant. You never know where VMI people are going to pop up. In and out of all of this time have been my duties as a visiting judge. Sometimes, the ‘visiting’ is over the phone (not even Zoom), but I have had to go to East Texas in a divorce case that started out ‘friendly’ but has become much less so. Needless to say, I look forward to getting it resolved, as there is nothing like somebody else’s divorce case to make you feel like your marriage is pretty &$#@ good! Unfortunately, I won’t be able to make the Feb. 24 get-together this year, as I must prepare for going to Poland. Perhaps next year it will work out more smoothly. In the meantime, Jamie joins me in sending you and all the BRs our warmest best wishes for a wonderful spring.”

So, end of notes—the mantra: Be safe—don’t fall.

1966

Greetings and salutations to an amazing and diverse group of brother rats! It is my privilege to bring you these items, sent in over the recent months, that chronicle things/events you have been involved with. So, as the saying goes, keep those “cards and letters” flowing (emails, actually, but let us not quibble).

Just before the Corps of Cadets departed on their Christmas furlough, Bob Odom had the opportunity to commission two new Coast Guard ensigns, Robert Gomez ’23 and Conner Smith ’23. Bob stated: “I was honored to administer the oath as part of the commissioning ceremony.” For those of us who are less familiar with the origins of the Coast Guard program at VMI, it came to fruition “largely because of the dogged grassroots efforts of Stephen Decoster ’22 and his father, U.S. Army Master Sergeant Darrin Decoster of the VMI tactical staff. Their efforts, aided by U.S. Coast Guard Reserve Rear Admiral Carlton Moore, who authored the book ‘The Coast Guard Rescue of the Sea Breeze,’ helped to cultivate Coast Guard interest in the fledging initiative. Without these collective efforts, the commissioning program would not have been possible.” (I have read the book, and I recommend it to you all.)

Al and Gail Carr provided these thoughts on recent events on their trip to Savannah, Georgia: Clark and Marion Reifsnider stayed with us in November during the Marine Corps Birthday and Founders Day activities. Then, on the Carrs’ trip to Georgia, they stayed with Clark and Marion in Florence, South Carolina, before going on to Skidway Island for a four-day visit with their daughter and son-in-law. Following that, they spent a few days with Jim and Kathleen Szymanski and their 120-pound Mastiff, Bella. Breaking news! During several lengthy conversations, Al, Clark, and Jim were able to solve most of the world’s problems, but no one else appeared interested in their solutions. Although the temps were cooler than usual down south at that time of year, the temps back home in Lexington never got out of the teens! Finally, being able to spend time with the Reifsniders and Szymanskis was great fun, and with a few exceptions, everyone

Class of 1966: U.S. Coast Guard Ensign Robert Gomez ’23 (left) takes the oath of office from retired U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Bob Odom in December 2023.

Class of 1966: Jim Szymanski; his wife, Kathleen Szymanski; and Al Carr in Melbourne, Florida.

Class of 1966: Rob Ritchie is inducted into the Impact a Hero Hall of Fame Nov. 11, 2023. Pictured are (from left) Robin P. Richie Jr.; his wife, Tara Ritchie; Jan Ritchie; and Rob.

Nick Hoskot

is in good spirits and is healthy ... especially when “considering” our advancing ages. All three wished to pass along their greetings and best wishes to their BRs.

John Turner and Hugh Adams provided information about the services for Hugh Jones in Lynchburg: There were about 500-600 people in attendance at the church, with standing room only, which was a real tribute to Hugh and a visual picture of his impact on the Lynchburg community. Missing from the BR photograph but also in attendance were Bill Bundy and his wife, Sue; Kenzie Hubard; Cliff Martin; and Jim Sublett

Jim Smith participated in an Honor Flight to the Marine Museum in Quantico and to the World War II, Korean, and Vietnam Memorials in Washington, D.C. Additionally, they visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington for a changing of the guard. They located Brother Rat Vince Scott’s name on the wall. Tom Hawthorne ’76 was Jim’s guardian who made it possible for Jim to make this trip.

Wayne and Susan Gray, along with Bill and Sandy Gore, attended the celebration of life for William X. Parsons on Veterans Day 2023 in Roanoke. Bill, Wayne, and Hugh Jones were all commissioned in the Army after graduation and participated in the Army JAG Corps’ Excess Leave Program for the purpose of attending law school. The Army’s JAGC School is co-located with the UVA Law School. It was during their third year that X arranged a blind date with Susan, and she and Wayne have been married for over 53 years.

Congratulations, Wayne and Susan! After a few years in private practice, X moved to Roanoke, where he became the assistant city attorney for the city until his retirement. As many of you recall, X wore academic stars and did well in his military and civil legal careers. He loved music, St. Louis, skiing, and other outdoor activities.

Wayne has never broken anything in his life ... which was corrected in mid-January when he slipped in his snowy, icy front yard and landed on the gim list for about two weeks. He is glad to be done with the therapy program and will have had the “clunky, orthopedic boot” removed so he can start fully using his leg again.

In response to an inquiry and a few questions, Cliff Martin provided the following information from VMI regarding the 1966 class scholarship: “Class of 1966 Athletic Endowment. Purpose: Established by the Class of 1966 by then-class agent, Al Conner, who worked with Greg Cavallaro ’84 of the Keydet Club in conjunction with its 50th class reunion in 2016 to recognize its love for and gratitude to Virginia

Military Institute and to honor the memory of its deceased brother rats. Provides unrestricted financial support to the Institute’s intercollegiate athletic program.”

Financial update: Spendable income and market value. Market value as of Dec. 31, 2022, is $456,432.58.

Spendable income is $15,894.

Spendable income is the amount of investment return that is available to support the Institute and is calculated based upon the 12-quarter rolling average as of Dec. 31 in any given year. The calculation for the spendable income above (FY23) is based upon the market value of $494,857.40 as of Dec. 31, 2021, and a board-approved spending rate of 4.25%. Current recipient: Cadet Nate Shippey ’26, 3rd Class cadet on the wrestling team.

So, this wraps up the notes for this issue. Please continue to provide me with photos and information regarding our class. Contact information is above.

Spring will be fading in most locales, and the early breath of summer can be found in most areas.

Take care, keep smiling, and please stay in touch with our brother rats of our wonderful class.

Thanks, Nick

1967

Lonnie Jan Abernathy

After sharing a request from Chuck Malley to see if there was interest in hearing stories about Crozet in our time, I started these notes in January. It opened a floodgate of your memories on

Class of 1966: At the Institute Society Dinner in November 2023 are (from left) Tom Slater, Cliff Martin, Clark Reifsnider, Jim Whitehurst, John Jumper, Duane Williams, Rich Hines, Doug Richard, Bill Gehr, Jay Adams, Parky Parkman, Woody Sadler, John Rowe, and Randolph Williams.

Class of 1966: Attending the memorial service for Hugh Jones are (from left) Charlie Bishop ’68, John Jumper, Mike Talley, John Turner, Tom Slater, Hap Hubard, and Hugh Adams.

all things in or near mess hall memories and antics. Few were about the high quality of food or a favorite meal—unless it was part of some type of torture for a rat. It has been suggested that I put them in this issue of notes for the Alumni Review since a number of BRs do not use email. There were so many; I will share some and email the others. Chuck Malley: “Wow—lots of stories. I didn’t expect that many, and I expect even more will follow. Will these go in the next Alumni Review?” But first, there are personal notes to share, mostly from Christmas cards.

Tom and Shirley Mustard: Retired from his church, Tom continues to find ways to serve, even at a blessing of the animals service he conducted in Park Springs, where they live at the foot of Stone Mountain near Atlanta. For the first time in a while, they enjoyed some travel adventures and went to see Mickey Mouse at Disney World’s anniversary celebration. They were there when it opened 50 years ago. They also flew to Albuquerque, New Mexico, for an international convention and took a river cruise on the Snake and Columbia Rivers to follow the Lewis and Clark Expedition. They welcomed granddaughter Katie into the family and also a new cat named Gracie.

Mike and Ann Hall enjoyed a grand family celebration in their home, and Mike spent much time with a paintbrush in hand in miniature land over the holidays ... as usual. Ann flew to Virginia for her 60th high school reunion and was able to enjoy the beautiful October foliage. Her rhyme in her Christmas letter was superb, so we will try to send it out by email to share with all. Very creative.

Dixie and Bev Walker stay busy with the grandkids these days: Jonah, 5, and Jack, 2-anda-half. Charlie Moir has been having a good time as his grandson is a rat swimmer this year. Charlie is able to vicariously relive his Rat Line through his grandson’s stories and experiences.

Jim and Liep Wilson have moved to a Fairfax retirement community and are now in Belvoir Woods at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Jim is pleased to have no more snow removal and no stairs!

Pete Wells writes that they are well and enjoying life. He says he is a docent at the new Army museum at Fort Belvoir for about nine hours per week.

Carol Davis (Rick Davis’ widow) has sold her home and moved to a retirement community in the Fairfax area. She said she appreciated all of the BR

support and the attendance at the postponed celebration of life that was held for her husband.

Jean Jordan, Dave Bristow’s sister, wrote that she appreciated all of the support we gave Dave through his VMI connection. She would welcome hearing from any of us who want to write and stay in touch. She is in Midlothian, Virginia. She is an extremely talented artist and her Christmas card was a painting she had made of St. John’s (the evangelist) Church that she used to pass every time she would go visit Dave in King William County. I will send out a photo of the card by email to the class. If you do not receive it, please let me know.

John and Leslie Forsyth continued their travels this past year, focusing on visiting many family members, in addition to addressing landscaping at their new home of five years. (As of February, they have had a lot of snow this year.)

Ski and Carole Waskiewicz spent quite a bit of time with the medical professionals in 2023. Ski injured his right arm while bowling, and then found out later that the tendon had separated from the elbow. A few weeks later, Ski had pain across his chest. At MVH ER, he found out that he needed a cardiac catheterization, but the issue could not be repaired with stents like in 2001, so they performed a double bypass. There were more falls and more ER visits, but they continue their life adventures. They are unstoppable!

Andy Carter says Vonnie is having her third major back surgery and that he is having some testing done for some sort of neurological disease. He said life is like another type of Rat Line!

Larry Adams reported that their son, Seth, still lives with them and that Larry drives him to work every day. Their only grandchild, Julia, is a freshman at Wheaton College in Massachusetts.

Doug and Carol Ann Mills traveled to France, where they visited with Doug’s sister and enjoyed a tour of the Normandy beaches. Doug attended his 60th high school reunion in Northern Virginia, and shortly after, they got to babysit their grandkids in Hingham, Massachusetts, so their daughter and husband could have a getaway to Bermuda.

William Fleshood reported that he had another hip replacement and, while recovering, had an intestinal blockage requiring a week’s stay in the hospital. He and Jo have played quite a bit of golf in between Jo’s visits to Florida to help with her parents’ care. Her dad, 99,

Class of 1967: Frank Kuchuris, Company D commander, with Dr. Bruce Weiner, his commanding officer, in 2016.

Class of 1967: Shelley and Larry Rutherford with Bootsie and Jimmy Rogers.

Class of 1967: Cadet Charlie Fitz-Allen Griffiths ’27 (left) and his grandfather, Charlie Moir.

passed in his sleep, and now their care is limited to mom, 98, as she is doing well in assisted living/ memory care. They traveled to Michigan, where Jo finally got to wade in one of the Great Lakes and later traveled with sister Lucia and her husband on a tour of France.

Bruce and Hollace Weiner wrote that they were heading to Antarctica based on Tubby and George’s recommendation. Then, they have one more ski trip scheduled in Big Sky, Montana. They are also planning to bike in Portugal this summer. They are doing well and happy to be upright, ambulatory, and active!

Rick and Nancy Brooke reported that they have had some medical issues this past year but have worked their way through them and are doing well now.

Barry and Marge Green spent a lot of time traveling in the U.S.A. last year. Travel was in addition to their classes in yoga, aqua, and Bible studies.

Now to the Crozet stories: Pete Wells “loved the grilled cheese sandwiches on Saturday. If you pressed the bowl of a spoon on the center, it would fill up with grease! As a rat, before we were integrated with the Corps, I always appreciated it when a 1st would come to the table with a pitcher of water and have us lift the sides of the tablecloth, having the rat on the end lift up the corner as it would run to the end, go around the turned-up corner and dump into the lap of the table commander.”

and eggs when I had guard duty.”

Bruce Wiener: “At my very first meal in the mess hall, I remember straining at the table while the food was being passed around. When the black-eyed peas got to me, I had no idea what they were (I ... had never seen a black-eyed pea before. Well, I gave them a once-over and passed them on. Just then, the upperclassman next to me said, ‘Whoa, rat! What’s the matter ... doesn’t the rat like black-eyed peas?’ Being unsure how to respond (there actually was no correct answer), I said, ‘No, sir.’ Almost immediately, the entire table (or so it seemed) broke out in a chorus of, ‘Poor

rat,’ and dumped the entire plateful of black-eyed peas onto my plate. ‘You’re going to eat every one of those, aren’t you, rat?’ This time, I knew the correct answer and never passed on another food item thereafter. Of course, now that I’m a Texan, I eat them regularly (and actually enjoy them).”

Mike Ingelido: “My experience with Crozet was that you had to make do with what you had, much like your pot pie story. For me, the only thing that was completely inedible was chow mein. Fortunately, they only served it maybe once a month. Nevertheless, my solution whenever I was sufficiently hungry was to make PB and J sandwiches, although I can’t remember if they even served bread when we had chow mein! Somewhat related, I was always eager to be a fill-in cadet waiter, especially for BRC, because they would eat before the Corps showed up, so the eggs were actually still warm! In conclusion, Club Crozet may not have been haute cuisine, but no one starved to death ... at least not to my knowledge.”

Terry Moore: “My strongest memory was, being a short individual, I always got more than my share to eat. The upperclassmen focused on the more I would eat, the taller I would get. Didn’t work. I had a different focus, and that was to get in, eat, and get out. I would aim on the PB and J to the point that now I cannot recall ever eating peanut butter since our graduation—that’s 57-plus years. Interesting side story is during my 1970–71 USAF tour at Osan AB, South Korea, the primary vegetable at the officers’ club was cauliflower cooked to a mush with few and far between choices. It has taken a while to enjoy cauliflower, which I do, but then never cooked to a mush.”

William Fleshood: “I must have gone to an alternative VMI. I don’t remember chicken pot pies or chicken chow mein. I do remember eating a lot of gnu sandwiches. The meal was steak

Max Toch: “I was going to respond that I never had any complaints about Crozet fare until I was reminded of the chow mein. That was not one of my favorites, either. My anecdote is the milk ration. On training tables, there were two cartons per man per meal. To get the last bit of milk out, I would flush the containers with water. Ironically, that habit has persisted over the decades, and I have grossed out many family members and friends as I flush out the last of the milk that way, and still do today.”

John May: “I don’t remember a lot about the mess hall, but one thing has always stuck in my mind from our rat year. Maybe this happened to others, but I never witnessed it. Some upperclassman decided I needed to take a large tablespoon of peanut butter and mayonnaise, stand on my chair, and start singing. It took everything I had to not puke on the table! I also ate a lot of peanut butter crackers and drank chocolate milk from the rat PX next door because I left the mess hall hungry. Not a lot of fun food memories!”

Carter Melton: “I don’t have any Crozet stories ... I survived for four years on Cheetos and Dr. Pepper.”

Wayne Marshall: “Ah, the food fights. I fondly recall watching two rats bearing a cream pie each

Class of 1967: Mike Schlosser, Frank Oliver, Gene Touchstone, Don Jones, and Terry Fowler during their rat year.

Class of 1967: Attending the memorial service for Larry Rutherford in Florida are (from left) L.F. Payne, John Holt, Jim Rogers, Larry Adams, Seth Adams (son of Larry Adams), and Tom Gillette.

sneak up on a 1st Classman sitting at the head of a table one row over. They approached undetected and planted one pie on each ear and ran like *^%$. The aggravated 1st picked up a pie from his table and flung it at the individual who he believed was responsible but apparently missed his target. In one nanosecond, the craziness spread throughout the mess hall, and all the food in the mess was weaponized and launched. This was in our rat year. Apparently, the school billed the parents of each cadet to pay for the clean-up (I think it was $1.25 per cadet). My father queried me about the charge the next time I was home and had a good laugh. When we returned for our 40th class reunion, I noticed that there were still pats of butter sticking to the ceiling of the mess hall.”

John Forsyth: “My most memorable Crozet Hall experience came in the fall ’63 at the demonic hand of Rufus King Von Shilling ’64, who a few BRs might remember. I knew King from my high school years; we both attended RMA, along with Bill Blair, Donnie White, and Al Orgain, a few upperclassmen with whom I was familiar. Myself and probably five to six BRs sat around his table during one particularly dreary SRC gathering over a meal of the infamous meatloaf, peas, and mashed potatoes. Taking advantage of his captive audience, Von Shilling launched into a tirade regarding the evils of being underweight at VMI and the benefits of starches in one’s diet. At the time, I was pretty thin, not sure how he could even see me at the table hiding behind another BR. Now, Von Shilling was almost as skinny as I was, but that fact had no relevance. His expertise that evening was starches, not human metabolism. Suddenly, King decided an example was in order, zeroing in on yours truly. He announced, to no one in particular, that I was too skinny, and he was accepting, as his personal mission, the challenge to ‘fatten the rat.’ A waiter had just delivered a refilled mashed potato bowl with few takers for seconds. King decided I should down the remaining potatoes. After I complied, it must have been obvious I was in a bit of discomfort; he asked if I felt like I was going to be sick. When I said yes, he said I just needed something to hold everything down and handed me a serving spoon heaped with peanut butter!”

Mel Wright: “I remember if we got something good (rarely), we had to dump it on the table and send it back for seconds. I am sure it was all sanitary!”

John Carnes: “An upperclassman would prepare a bowl of some gross vegetable and cover it with chocolate pudding. This would also take place at another table by a different upperclassman.

Then, the bowls of delicious-looking pudding would be given to two ‘volunteer’ rats and told to see who could finish eating their pudding first. The one requirement was you could not use your hands. Sucking up the pudding was easy till you got to the spinach or cabbage, and then you did just about anything to keep from puking on the table through your nose sometimes. Every time I see a bowl of chocolate pudding, I remember snorkeling.”

Back to reality with some more recent news now. Phil Gioia is nearing the completion of his next book. He says it will have dragons.

David Gwaltney: “I wanted to thank you for your Christmas card, which I just received today. This is not a knock on you; it’s just to alert you to the severe problem we are having up here with the U.S. Postal Service and our mail deliveries. To complicate things, we recently moved to a new address, which has complicated getting our mail. We’ve had mail forwarded to us that has been routed all the way to Oregon and back to us. I had an invoice mailed to me in early December from a company about a mile away that I just received on Friday. Otherwise, Joy and I are doing well. Had a pacemaker inserted a few months back because of a heart rate dropping into the 30s from time to time. We solved that problem, but now my blood pressure is low from time to time. We downsized to a smaller house where most of the yard work, snow removal, etc., are taken care of under the HOA fee. We’ve left 2-plus acres of lawn work, many flower beds, and lots of trees to watch out for.”

Since the last notes, we have lost BRs Frank Kuchuris, Larry Rutherford, and Mike Schlosser. Please share any memories I can pass on to their families. And keep all of our class in your hearts. In the ’67 Bonds, Jan

1968

Tom Hickey

Ad Hagan (Lexington, Virginia): “Ann Reid and I live in our timber frame home up in the hollow on the north side of House Mountain. I value the peace that comes with living in the forest. We are off the grid using propane alone for lighting, water heaters, stove, oven, and refrigerator and a

generator for the well pumps. After 10 years of this, my family has added some 12,800W battery storage and 2,200W solar panels. It is such a luxury to plug anything into the wall and have it work. We still forget and walk around in these dark mornings with headlamps. Elon Musk’s Starlink has connected us with the world where once we had to drive to ‘the dump’ to make a cell call.

“Our lives are our children and their families and our brothers and sisters and their families. When I started building ‘the cottage’ in 2006, we had three grandchildren. We now have 11. Our ‘children’ live in Richmond; Virginia Beach; Baltimore; Upper Marlboro; Philadelphia; Washington, D.C.; and Charlotte. Of the grandchildren, I have three—all siblings at VMI. The next in line is learning to drive and has asked, ‘How can I tell where the other side of the car is?’

“I am now ‘the village elder’ in my family, as are many of you. For that reason, the VA in Salem has been important to me.”

John Kemper (Richmond): “No real news to report from here except I am doing well and following the redevelopment of our basketball program. We have a great coaching staff and some very talented freshman players. Our big challenge, and it is a major one, is how do we retain these players with the transfer portal and NIL chaos. The Institute is working on that, and we are lucky to have an AD and superintendent that supports these efforts. I talk with Kevin Henry (Winston Salem) frequently, and he is recovering from shoulder replacement surgery.”

Wayne Burton (St. Marys, Georgia): “Sylvia and I went to Dollywood with family and grandkids for my birthday. Then to their house for Thanksgiving. Many BRs reminisced on our email blog about the Thanksgiving game with VPI in 1967. Lots of fond memories.”

In mid-December, Wayne added, “Sylvia and I will be singing in a three-church cantata Dec. 16 with an orchestra, 47 singers, and 15 musicians.”

Andy Bradley (Azle, Texas): “Retired equals a rusty axle with a new tire on the wheel. Still keeping my Sundays busy in Eastland (in the middle, western part of Texas) and Possum Kingdom (where the ‘lake’ is more like a small river in Virginia). Susan and I are hanging in.”

Greg Wall (Keswick, Virginia): “Thankfully, all is well here. We took a nice trip to the Galapagos with Jim and Karen Burns (Henrico, Virginia) on a Lindblad/National Geographic cruise. They really take good care of you with more crew than passengers. I continue to work on a book about Ellie Wood Keith, who taught four generations of

people how to ride and care for horses here in Charlottesville. It is truly amazing what can be found in newspapers, public records, and books these days. I learn something new every day. Of course, I forget it by the next day. Hopefully, I can keep my brain working and live long enough to complete this mission.

“We are going with our Ohio State friends to Costa Rica in April. There was quite a Costa Rica connection at Ohio State, where I trained in prosthodontics, so we are looking forward to that.”

Billy Seargeant (Fredericksburg, Virginia): “I retired again Nov. 2. Now, I am busier than ever. Go figure.”

Then, in February, Billy told this story: “I first met Clay Mountcastle ’94 circa 2016 when I was interviewed by the [Virginia] War Memorial staff and board for the Virginia War Memorial Project. I mentioned to Clay that I remembered Jack Mountcastle ’65 at VMI when I was a rat. Clay told me that Jack was his dad. On Jan. 18, 2024, I was at the Virginia War Memorial to present some more VMI Bombs to Kyndall Drumheller, the memorial’s education logistics manager, historian, etc., since I was told some years ago that the War Memorial was trying to find photos of the men on the wall who have been KIA since World War II. I have since donated about 12 VMI Bombs to the war memorial. When I was able to get a copy of the 1968 Ring Figure book, I also got a copy of the VMI 1965 Ring Figure book in the same lot. Jack Mountcastle’s Ring Figure date was shown in the book, so I presented this to Clay for his enjoyment. Imagine my surprise when I pointed out Jack’s date photo, and Clay says: ‘That’s my mom.’”

Dick Garner (Matthews, North Carolina): “We are doing pretty well. Due to our daughter’s illness, with tears in our eyes, we moved back to the Charlotte area from Hilton Head. The plus to being in Charlotte is being able to see a lot of the grandkids’ ballgames and other activities.”

Dick Wise (Richmond): “Went to Greece last summer, Paris to Santorini to Naxos (a week there—the Aegean is cold!) to Athens. Had my VMI hat on and was stopped in Paris a few times by fellow alums or children of alums. All was fun and well worth it, but by the time we got to Athens, I was taking on the personality of BR Walton (Richmond). Fighting those crowds, especially climbing up to the Acropolis, got old, and we

were glad to get home.

“Did my annual Lake Ontario (Henderson Harbor, New York) trek for three weeks in August. On the way home from New York, I stopped at the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor just south of Newburgh, New York—very impressive place. I was able to enroll my uncle, who was a naval aviator killed in the Pacific in World War II. Any BRs who have Purple Hearts are eligible for enrollment.

“Made our annual October trek to Ocean Isle, North Carolina, in October. Got home just in time

to see Hunter Rice’s ’25 run to pay dirt to take down The Citadel. Saw Hunter make several other runs this season as well. He’s a horse, and the O-line seems to be jelling. Rocco got off to a pretty good start. I figured he’d be doing a little ‘What the %$#@ have I done!’ self-analysis about halfway through the season. Apparently, he is comfortable competing against NIL and the transfer portal. Hope he can keep it up.”

Gerry and John Hince’s (Bryan, Texas) November newsletter had some nuggets: “Had Thanksgiving dinner with Matt and his wife, April, and sons, Ethan and Charlie. We will all be together in Columbus, Mississippi, with Peter and family for Christmas. ... Traveled the state for conferences and meetings for the American Legion. (We) are blessed with the ability to travel, and we still enjoy each other in the car ... 8-hour drives are a lot of driving! ... Bush Library continues to keep me smiling and gives John 4 hours a week without me.”

In the January edition of the Hince newsletter, Gerry wrote that John is running to be head of the local Republican party. Gerry thinks he will be great at it, and by just getting to accompany him to the lunches, dinners, etc., she gets out of cooking a few times a week.

The American Legion is still a passion of theirs. Gerry is back as co-chair of a national committee, which gets them to the Legion’s national convention on the Legion’s checking account, and John gets to be with her and sit on committees.

Steve Wilson (Williamsburg): “Linda and I will begin 2024 on a high note. We’ve sold our home in Mathews and are now permanent residents of Williamsburg. It’s a relief to maintain only one home versus two. Sorry to have missed the Institute Society Dinner in November. We will return to our condo in Fort Myers Jan. 4 (and stay through March) after celebrating our 42nd wedding anniversary Jan. 2. Am still serving as the VMIAA liaison to the BOV’s Cadet and Military Affairs Committee. We see Bobbi and Dave Gehr (Williamsburg) while in Williamsburg and visit with Karen and Buck Miller (Naples, Florida) while in Florida.”

Mary Lynn Hicks (Locust Grove, Virginia), widow of Ben Hicks (VMI ’68, USNA ’69), mentioned several years ago that she and Ben had always celebrated his December birthday at the Army-Navy football game. I mentioned those celebrations when I emailed Mary Lynn

Class of 1968: In Williamsburg, Virginia, in December 2023 are (from left) Dave Gehr, Steve Wilson, and J.B. Meadows.

Class of 1968: Creigh Kelley with Dopey at Disney World, Orlando, Florida, during the 2024 Walt Disney World Marathon Jan. 7.

after the December 2023 game, and she replied, “Yes, watching that game brought back so many wonderful memories. Celebrating his birthday during Army-Navy weekend was always extra special! Saturday’s game was just downright disappointing.

I remember attending the Tobacco Bowl game in Richmond during his rat year. That was back when dressing up and wearing a mum corsage was ‘the thing.’ The kids and grands are all doing well.”

Wes Padgett (Montgomery, Alabama), in his 2023 Christmas letter wrote about many of the events in his life during 2023. There were visits with children and grandchildren, including a planned visit with his son, Michael and his wife, Victoria, that had to be delayed in January because Victoria came down with COVID-19. They did finally get together in April, and then again in June to celebrate the birth of a grandson, Robin West Padgett, June 13. Robin has already started a career in the theater by performing as the baby Jesus in his church’s Christmas pageant.

Wes also visited his son, Eric, in Forney, Texas, while taking a U-Haul of furniture to his daughter Catherine’s home in San Antonio via Abilene, where she was working. In November, Catherine found a new job at SeaWorld—the one in Abu Dhabi—so is now 10 time zones away. Sadly, Wes experienced the passing of his mother in May at age 100 and of his Aunt Dorothy in June at age 102.

Les Ridout (Westerville, Ohio): “Fran and I are still enjoying retirement and 54 years of marital bliss!”

Dick Rankin (Honolulu, Hawaii): “Although I am retired from two full careers, I am very busy as president of the nonprofit Wounded Warrior Ohana, and I still write the questions for the International Economics Challenge held in NYC each June. Cynthia will retire at the end of this year, and we are celebrating with two trips. We are headed to Normandy in March. Many of our brother rats have commented about what a moving experience that is. I want to stand on that beach and contemplate my two uncles who fought there (one by land and one by air). Then we are taking a cruise to Antarctica, and we are very excited about that.

BTW, it’s hard to plan exciting trips when you live in Hawaii!”

Hal Hostetler (Portsmouth, Virginia): “Brenda and I are active in our church. We are both in the choir and orchestra. I teach our large Sunday school class on Sunday mornings. Last July, we made a long train trip to North Dakota where we taught Sioux children. Then we continued by train to Seattle, where we attended a conference on Seamen’s Ministry. I am fully involved with our local Tidewater Concert Band, rehearsing every Tuesday night. We performed several Christmas concerts.”

George Woodbury (Lillington, North Carolina): “I have finally taken the steps to retire from my business. The wife and I have a fifth-wheel travel trailer, and we intend to spend time traveling, hiking, and seeing this great country. She walks eight miles a day and takes me along for three of those. We are both in excellent health, for which we are quite grateful. My wife and I have been together for 54 years this coming April.”

Later, George added, “When you get to be 78 years old, you reflect back on your life and ask if my presence made a difference. I like to think I did. The values that led to this came from VMI and West Point and military service.”

George’s full submission included a lengthy list of career accomplishments that was distributed via email in the unabridged version of these notes.

Creigh Kelley (Centennial, Colorado): “The

picture with Goofy represents my final sports host appearance at the marathon weekend after 30 years starting in 1995. I’ve actually announced dozens of other Walt Disney World running events over the years and did the radio broadcast in the ’90s for the only Disneyland Marathon. A fun ride as the longest, continuous sports host in RunDisney history. Last year, I had the extra special fun of announcing the finish by Dean Kershaw (Lyndhurst, Virginia) in the Walt Disney World 5K! Back to the reality of directing my final Denver Colfax Marathon Weekend (an event I helped birth in 2004 and now over 21,000 entrants in its 18th year) in May!”

In mid-February, in one of the class’ email groups, Creigh wrote: “In spring 2020, as COVID-19 took shape and placed a frontal assault on outdoor special events (the blood that flowed through my veins), the mayor of Denver and the governor of Colorado were beginning to form committees and groups to consider how to manage groups in an outside venue. As the race director of an event with, at the time, 18,000 people (now 21,000), we were very nervous. If they shut us down, we were in the tank. We did not have, as a nonprofit, enough money in reserve to carry us forward for another year.

“In a meeting (online) with 100 event managers (not just running), the Denver mayor’s representative suggested that new guidelines needed to be drawn up to regulate how events could possibly be held outside. He suggested that we needed, as a group, to seek out experts to help us compose a plan. In the moment, without the blessing of our CEO (I was one step removed), I said, ‘Look no further. Andrea and I are recognized nationally as experts, and we will draw up the necessary schemas and guidelines.’ There was a hush online, and the mayor’s rep said, ‘Great! Do it!’ and we did. As self-appointed ‘experts,’ the governor’s office got wind of it and blessed us, as well. And our nonprofit survived and went forward, and others followed.

“Sometimes you just need to realize the moment. Simply spoken, VMI taught me that moment. I’m crystal on that.”

On Jan. 3, 2024, I learned that Terry Bowers (Martinez, Georgia) was undergoing heart surgery that

Class of 1968: Suellen and Walt Jeffress, Martha and Dave Gibbons, and Mary Anne and Bryan Barton at the presentation of the George C.Marshall Foundation’s Andrew J. Goodpaster Award to retired U.S. Army Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III ’62, superintendent emeritus, at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia, Dec. 1, 2023.—

Photo courtesy the George C. Marshall Foundation.

day. Several days later, I got an email from Terry summarizing his and Joyce’s activities in 2023 and providing more information on his health. The unabridged version of the notes includes details of Terry’s health condition. The remainder of the email read: “We did not send a 2023 end-of-year letter to anyone this year, but hopefully, this will help bring in the best new year for all in 2024! We managed to do quite a number of things with our children and their families in 2023, but I’d have to look through our Google photos to recount anything of significance other than spending time with our loved ones. We did spend Thanksgiving in Tennessee with Tim and family; then, we had a great Christmas with Laura and family in South Carolina. To finish the year off, we were to meet with all our children at Matt’s new house south of Peachtree City in Georgia for the New Year’s weekend. Although Matt and Jen had moved in July, Joyce and I had yet to see the place. Hopefully, your new year has gone much better than mine, and we will get together again this year! I know I will be ready!”

Chuck Taylor: “Living in Deltaville, Virginia, for 10 years with Stuart, my bride of 57 years. Cruising on our sailboat to the Bahamas most years. Staying home this winter but planning a sail to New England this summer.”

At the end of January, I got a call from Di Johnson (Humble, Texas). He said that he and Suzie are staying busy this winter at their Texas home. He is still dealing with the residual effects of last year’s stroke but is back behind the wheel, so feels like he is making progress.

David Wagner (Columbine Valley, Colorado): “My big news is that I have completely retired from the practice of law, effective Jan. 1. I was semi-retired for the past 10 years but now have no clients to tend. I was in my 50th year of law practice. I am enjoying the slower pace for now and playing golf as the weather allows.

“For the past decade, we have been going to Maui for a couple of weeks at this time of year. However, this year, my wife, Marti, had foot surgery and is not quite recovered. So, we are not doing any traveling for now. I look forward to getting back to doing some traveling as we morph into spring.”

Kerr Kump (Elkins, West Virginia): “Our class reunion was great fun. Thanks to all who helped with the planning.

“After our reunion last year, I received a package from Billy Martin. It contained a framed picture of our 1964 ‘rat room.’ Five handsome guys in the photo: Gary Klemas (San Antonio,

Texas), Gainer Jones, Kerr Kump, Theo Leduc (Hiawassee, Georgia), and Billy Martin (Placitas, New Mexico). We all look scared! I called Billy to thank him and enjoyed catching up with him after a lot of years.

“Susie and I still live in Elkins, West Virginia. We stay busy trying to keep up with four children and 16 grandchildren (ages 19-6). Never a dull moment!”

1969

Greetings, Brother Rats and Friends of the VMI Class of 1969,

It is late winter in Eastern Virginia, and some spring plants are trying to break through the hard ground. In these notes, we read of the passing of BRs Hassell Lee Barnes in Virginia Beach and Tom Hickman in Maryland in late January. I also talk about our class luncheon in mid-December and other gatherings of friends through the ages at memorial services and social events.

“Hassell Lee Barnes Jr. found rest and joy in the arms of his Lord Jan. 29, 2024, at Sentara in Virginia Beach surrounded by his adoring family. With the same resolve and determination that characterized his life, Lee confronted the complications of multiple myeloma, which pressed pause on many of his Elvis gigs since May 2023. Lee was born June 30, 1947, in Norfolk, Virginia, to the late Hassell Lee Barnes Sr. and Norma Bostain Barnes. A graduate of Norview High School in 1965, Lee developed his lifelong amazement and appreciation for chemistry at Virginia Military Institute and made the top half of the class possible. A standout on any field, Lee was an All-Southern Conference defensive end and scraped with plenty of heart on the rugby pitch. Following his 1969 graduation from VMI, Lee served in the U.S. Air Force until 1972. He continued academics and football to earn a master’s degree in chemistry from Old Dominion University while playing semi-professional football and serving as a dedicated teacher and coach. He then made a career change into the profession he would love for 39 years, as a State Farm agent and real estate entrepreneur. Lee was generous with his laughter, spirit of encouragement, and lessons (whether in organic chemistry, music composition, theology,

propagating roses, or strategic football plays). In his memory, we will continue to learn and remember every acquaintance’s name, never get better at guitar than the third week, and always launch preemptive forgiveness. Lee is survived by the love of his life and dedicated wife of 44 years, Denise Barnes, and their children Brittney Boyce (Mark), Macie Barnes, and Bryce Barnes (Mary), as well as grandchildren Blake Boyce, Luke Boyce, and Laney Lee Barnes. He is also survived by his brother, Michael, and nephews, Michael and Thomas. Family and friends are invited to visit Thursday, Feb. 1, at Hollomon-Brown, Virginia Beach.” A funeral service to celebrate Lee was held Friday, Feb. 2, at Courthouse Community United Methodist Church, 2708 Princess Anne Road, Virginia Beach. The burial followed at Colonial Grove Memorial Park, Virginia Beach. A reception was held after the burial at Courthouse Community United Methodist Church. Contributions may be made in his memory to Courthouse Community United Methodist Church or Samaritan’s Purse. At the service were Webb Hatch, Nick Psimas, Bob Heely, John Ishon, Gary and Peggy Mackey, Glenn White, Drew Brantley, Walt Judd, Bob Flowers, and Wip Priest. Also, in the group attending the service and/or the reception were Ned Mikula ’70, Oscar Richardson ’75, and two ’77 BRs. A highlight of the ceremony at the cemetery was the spontaneous singing of the “VMI Doxology.” Led by Bob Flowers and heartily joined by several former Glee Club members, the class contingent honored Lee in our own special way. In separate messages shared by BRs, John Ishon, Doug Marks, Drew Brantley, Richie Daub, and Gary Mackey remembered Leotis in many kind words. Richie said he roomed with Lee and T.O. Palmer for at least one year.

Bruce Gregory’s wife, Sherry, passed away in Richmond in December with a memorial service Jan. 20, 2024, at the chapel at St. Catherine’s School. “Sherry was a member of the lower school faculty at St. Catherine’s for over 30 years, teaching most grade levels and then becoming a reading specialist, helping many young students become strong, independent women. A memorial fund has been established in her name at St. Catherine’s for lower school reading enrichment.” Attending the service were Webb Hatch, John and Jane Ishon, Tommy and Nancy Catlett, Tommy Hudson, Thornton Newlon, Bruce Noel, and John Sebrell. Bruce later wrote “thank you for putting on the ’69 Facebook page about Sherry [we, in turn, thank Mike Santoro]. As Bunny told you, she was relieved of her pain Sunday, Dec. 3. She had been

Walter Judd

in declining health for several years, and the last several months were really tough. I was privileged to be married to her for 53 years. We did not date at VMI but got married soon after graduation, and she immediately became an Army wife. Not sure if she was really thrilled with that! Throughout the years, she heard all the stories (lies!) and then got to live them firsthand when our son, Harrison ’04, was a cadet. She would just shake her head and say, ‘Really? That is a strange place.’”

With permission and a challenge from Bruce Gregory: “You guys have one assignment: Try to make these guys shoot better and play better defense.” Mike Santoro and I were sent to Lexington that same Saturday in January for a quick meeting with some of our reunion planners and the annual El Cid versus VMI basketball game. We met our challenge from Bruce and watched a terrific 70-63 victory. The very young team came out excited and played very well for an almost full arena. The crowd was into the action and loved it when various VMI team members zipped out onto the court during time-outs to celebrate a recent victory over their El Cid counterparts. Football Coach Rocco and two beefy lads carried out the Silver Shako during one break and heard the Keydets roar their approval. I filmed the celebration at the end of the game and shared it with Webb Hatch in Richmond at the memorial service.

“Colonel Thomas Edward Hickman, Esq. (77) of Taneytown, Maryland, passed away Jan. 27, 2024, at Carroll Hospital Center in Westminster, Maryland. Tom was a highly respected attorney and public servant who dedicated his life to upholding justice at home in Carroll County as State’s Attorney and overseas as an international prosecutor and expert advisor, trying cases before over 100 judges from 25 countries as an employee of NATO, the United Nations, United States Department of State, and the U.S. military. Tom is predeceased by his loving wife, Susan M. Hickman, and parents. He is survived by his daughter, Jessica L. Lucking, and her husband, Grant H. Lucking, as well as several cousins and their families. Raised in the Morrell Park neighborhood of Baltimore City, Tom attended Edmondson High School. He excelled in lacrosse and continued his education at the prestigious Virginia Military Institute. Throughout his lifetime, he was undeniably grateful for his time at VMI, and his fellow ‘brother rats’ became some of his most venerated friends. Tom went on to earn his law degree from the University of Baltimore and began his legal career. In 1974, he was elected as the state’s attorney for Carroll County at the young age of 27. He served in

this role until 1994, trying over 1,000 cases and earning a reputation as a formidable prosecutor and a tireless advocate for the community. After leaving office as state’s attorney, he joined the law firm Hickman, Ulsch, and Holniker, which later became Hickman, Ulsch, McFaul & Wright, P.A. Throughout the years, the firm underwent several name changes, but Hickman’s name remained constant, along with his former deputy state’s attorney and friend, Edward Ulsch, Esq. Tom shared his legal expertise as an adjunct professor of sociology at what is now known as McDaniel College in Westminster. He served as an Army infantry officer for eight years before joining the Air National Guard Judge Advocate program, where he served for 22 years, retiring at the rank of colonel. Over the course of his military career, he was deployed to England, Italy, Germany, and Bosnia. In 1996, Tom served as a NATO legal advisor in the Office of the High Representative in Sarajevo, and in 2001 became a United Nations international prosecutor in Kosovo, where he served for six years, achieving 30 convictions, including in three war crimes trials. Tom continued his overseas service with the United States Department of State as senior justice advisor in anti-corruption to the attorney general of Afghanistan in Kabul in 2009, where he mentored the prosecutor and Afghanistan attorney general. He later served as a review panel member on the Independent Judicial and Prosecutorial Commission of Kosovo, which was created by the U.S. and E.U. to hear appeals by Kosovo justices. He returned to Afghanistan in 2010 to serve as a United Nations strategic advisor prosecutor in law enforcement for the High Office of Oversight and Anti-Corruption to the Afghanistan Anti-Corruption Agency, where he provided advice, mentoring, and training. Despite his overseas deployments, Tom continued to practice law in Carroll County until his passing, with an office in Westminster, earning a reputation for helping everyone with whom he crossed paths. His extensive world travels in the pursuit of justice and service led to a wealth of wonderful stories that he would share generously with colleagues, friends, and family. The family will receive friends Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024, at Fletcher Funeral & Cremation Services, Westminster. Funeral services will be held Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, at the funeral home. Interment will follow at Westminster Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made in his name to the Community Foundation of Carroll County, the Department of Veterans Affairs, or the VMI Alumni Agencies.”

At what has become an annual treat, Drew

Class of 1969: Attending the Keydet Club Scholarship Banquet in October 2023 are Mike Santoro, Tom Jones, and Walt Judd.

Class of 1969: Jim Baker and Tom Catlett, with Denise and Lee Barnes in the background, in Norfolk, Virginia, in December 2023.

Class of 1969: Lee Barnes.

Brantley arranged for class members to share lunch together before Christmas. On Dec. 13, 2023, at the Orapax Restaurant in Norfolk, several guys and wives joined for food and fellowship. Webb Hatch, Bob and Lush Heely, Drew Brantley, Jim Baker, Tommy Catlett, Ned Caldwell, Chalk and Ione Hardy, T.O. and Arlene Palmer, Wip and Barbara Priest, Glenn White, Lee and Denise Barnes, Gary and Peggy Mackey, B.A. Rennolds, Bobby Watts, and Walt Judd all gathered for lunch. The arrival of Leotis and Denise Barnes was the big moment, as Lee had not been out much in recent weeks. As it turned out, in the grand scheme of things, that was Lee’s last time with a group of BRs, and he appeared to enjoy the fun and attention he got.

After we left the good vibes of the class lunch, Glenn and I stopped by the large Norfolk hospital near the restaurant to say hello to Bob Alexander, who was still in ICU after surgery. We found him in the premier corner room on an elevated floor with views of two rivers and lots of maritime traffic. Not bad for a man whose nickname is “Sailor Bob.” Bob went in for surgery to remove misbehaving bladder cells and ended up having a second round to “unkink” some intestinal areas. He ended up in ICU for more than two weeks and got to come home just before Christmas. The stay was hard on all, but he came out in good spirits. Bob Heely and Gary Mackey also visited Bob and did their best to raise his spirits during his long stay.

On Dec. 30, Saturday, Bob called and said, “Let’s do lunch.” As this was only a week or so after he got home from the hospital, I was pleased to say yes. He and I had a “hot dog” lunch in Williamsburg. It was a bright winter day, and we enjoyed our beer and brats and great conversation. Any time you get back to whatever passes for normality after time in the hospital, life looks better.

Tom Jones: “We just got back from Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, where Elizabeth and I celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary. I wore my VMI hat, but no one said anything. We had a wonderful time, and Elizabeth got along fine. VMI comes to Macon Saturday [for basketball], and I will host the team somewhere Friday night. Still so sad about Two Bellies because we talked every Sunday. Jeter and I still talk every Sunday, but we both miss him. I am looking forward to our reunion.”

Jim Campbell wrote to me to ask about Lee first thing in the morning the same day I heard. How did you get the word so fast, I asked, as it was a super-fast spread of word about Lee. “Via Facebook!” was the answer, of course. Nothing travels

faster than social media.

Going over the past few months and noting my other VMI activities, I joined Mike Santoro and Bob Stransky ’72 Nov. 13 for Veterans Day golf at Mike’s club in Midlothian. We finished in the middle of the pack, and each had several shots we were proud of. There was at least one other team of VMI grads (Class of ’73) plus a team employing Mike Gompf ’68

Al Kaliski reminded me that he and his wife, Sue, knew Charlie and Cammy Bryan when Charlie did graduate work at the University of Georgia soon after graduation. I had forgotten Charlie spent time there in Athens. He also asked if Ken Houston was a VMI TAC officer. Al’s funny comment was, “I heard Ken Houston was like Captain Dickinson 2.0 from our days.” Boy, what a telling observation! After all these years, we still remember dear old Capt. Ken Dickinson ’57 and his unique style and laugh.

In mid-November, Doug Marks sent the following words: “Janet and I took two daughters, a son-in-law, and three teenage grandsons to The Citadel game, and we had a wonderful day! It was fun to let the grandsons see the pageantry of the two corps marching onto the field and to let them see the respect that folks there had for our country. Last Saturday, Janet and I drove up to Furman for the game. We had a great time sharing some food and meeting some younger alumni. The game itself ... well, not great. As you know, I have had a running discussion over the past three years or so about my disagreement with the implementation of some ... policies at the Institute. I have voiced these feelings to the powers at VMI in as civil a manner as I can muster. Thankfully, some of the initial actions are being re-thought a bit, as the policies and thoughts evolve. All that to say, recently, I had the pleasure of having breakfast here in Columbia with Gen. Wins ’85 and Andrew Deal ’12 to discuss lots of issues. It was a very open and respectful discussion by all parties, and I am in a ‘wait and see’ position as to the whole situation. Bottom line is that I am happy to see there is room for discussion, and I really think it will end well for VMI. I especially want to see the best outcome for the young men and women who are and will become Keydets! Finally, Janet and I attended the VMI versus University of South Carolina basketball game Monday, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The young team truly showed their ‘never say die’ attitude against the much more ‘seasoned’ Gamecocks. I was proud of them.”

Jim Long gave me a quick summary of guys leading the cheers at the final football game of

the season in Lexington against Western Carolina. Bob Waldo, Larry Seekford, John Sebrell, Dave Prugh, Ron Wall, Chuck Becker, and Jim and Beth Long witnessed the victory in person. Others watched and cheered via the internet broadcast. I got shorts blurbs from Biker Bob Ladd, Paul Curs, Lew Henderson, Scott Rhodes (adjusting to life in Great Falls in winter), Mike Colozzi (“FYI—it is unlikely that I will be able to attend the 55th in April. I had three major surgeries last year, and I am still ‘learning how to walk’ again. Translation: getting around is tough.”),

Class of 1969: Pictured in Norfolk, Virginia, in December 2023 are (from left) Bob Heely, Bob Watts, and Lee Barnes.

Class of 1969: T.O. and Arlene Palmer in Norfolk, Virginia, in December 2023.

Gary Braswell, George Lester, Bob Flowers, Dave Couch, Mel Adams, John Mitchell, Bill Kirkpatrick, Marty Parks, Fred “Jade” Ford (using his professional juggler name!), and Wayne Keesee (who, along with Bob Leibecke, was hoping to be there for rat Breakout 2024).

To the many of you who sent me greetings at Christmas, thank you. I enjoy getting them, reading the messages, and noting the pictures. I think Tom Buckner and Don Mercer need to put numbered jerseys on their family members and then publish a program with the numbers and names. (Like the football teams do!) There is beauty in a robust family picture, and many of you tried hard to get everyone together for a group shot. Again, thanks. Here are the names of BRs and families who sent me cards this past holiday season: Jack Robb (Rochester, New York); Bill Kirkpatrick (Simpsonville, South Carolina); Mike Harper (Bowling Green, Kentucky); Judy Segaar (Fort Belvoir, Virginia), Bruce Noel (Richmond, Virginia); Tom Buckner (Memphis, Tennessee); Clint Spencer (Gainesville, Georgia); V.J. Petrella (Mount Airy, Maryland); Harold Fleischer (San Antonio, Texas); Bob Waldo (Lake Frederick, Virginia); Ron Stead (Ashburn, Virginia); Rusty Chamberlain (Durango, Colorado); Don Mercer (Virginia Beach, Virginia); Joe Oliver (Midlothian, Virginia); Art Bushey (Gordonsville, Virginia); Bill Jocelyn (Virginia Beach, Virginia); Courtenay Welton (Richmond, Virginia); Sam Hoffman (Goochland, Virginia); Spunky Butler (Doswell, Virginia); Courtney Apperson (Lexington, South Carolina); Fred Downey (Fairfax, Virginia); Jay Jennings (Woodbridge, Virginia); Lloyd McGrady (Navarre, Florida); Gary Vitt (Alexandria, Virginia); Lee Stillwell (Danville, Virginia); Joe Howard (White Rock, New Mexico); Joe Flanz (Alexandria, Virginia); Roxanne (McCrory) Wilson (West Columbia, South Carolina); Larry Riegner (Port Orange, Florida); Larry Brydon (New York, New York); John Scott (North Redington Beach, Florida); Tommy Hudson (North Chesterfield, Virginia); Gail Brown (Wilmington, North Carolina); Mike Santoro (Midlothian, Virginia); John Edenfield (Stockton, California); Frances Taylor (Richmond, Virginia); Bob Flint (Lynchburg, Virginia); John Mitchell (Chapel Hill, North Carolina); Lou Sidney (Alexandria, Virginia); John Weber (Valley Center, California); Knox Hubard (Richmond, Virginia); Webb Hatch (Virginia Beach, Virginia); Dana Swatts (Orlando, Florida); Jim Boggs (Herndon, Virginia); Marty Parks (Galax, Virginia); Glenn Hammond (Troutville, Virginia); and

Art Wilson (Fredericksburg, Virginia). Keeping in touch is very important!

By the time you read these notes, our 55th Reunion will be history. Hope you were there! Also, keep those gifts flowing to VMI in whatever manner you like: Additions to existing scholarships— academic or athletic—or just unencumbered donations. They are all appreciated.

Yours in the Spirit, Walt

1970

Steve Talley

Greetings, Brother Rats and Friends of the VMI Class of 1970, November was a sad month for our class. Bill Bott passed away Nov. 19, and Ron Eagle followed Nov. 23. Brother Rats Cameron Seay, Carl Strock, Ned Haley, Joe Tenhet, and I attended Ron’s funeral in New Kent Dec. 9. There were no formal services for Bill.

As customary, our class sent the families red, white, and yellow flower arrangements and condolence notes.

Also, Brother Rat Penn Schubert, a lifelong resident of Hampton, Virginia, died Feb. 5, 2024, leaving behind his wife, Kathy, of 51 years; daughters, Brooke Owenby Kennedy (Walter) of Yorktown, Virginia, and Courtney Penn Schubert of Charlotte, North Carolina; sister, Daphne Lee Benton (Jason); and grandsons, Benjamin Wallace Owenby and Adam Christopher Owenby; and many other loving family members.

Contact me for links to these brother rats’ obituaries.

It is February in the Shenandoah Valley. The days are cold, cloudy, and dreary, and I have a serious case of cabin fever. Thankfully, I have my seven-day pill box loaded up and recently found my car keys. I’m good to go. As often as possible, I travel the short 35 miles to Lexington to see the Keydet basketball team in action. Don’t let their record fool you. This team is as scrappy as they come. They never give up despite playing teams that, unlike VMI, benefit from the transfer portal. But the guys who stay never say die and give their all whenever they take to the court. On Feb. 8, they came *^%$ close to knocking off Chattanooga, one of the best teams in the conference.

Basketball is not the only game in town. The VMI men’s and women’s track, swim, and rifle teams are active this time of the year, as is the exciting hockey club team. The lacrosse team is gearing up for its season. Baseball is not too far behind.

I recently had the pleasure of talking with

Class of 1970: At a James Madison University versus VMI rugby match in Lexington, Virginia, in April 2023 are Phil Jornlin; his son, John Jornlin, a graduate of JMU; and David Becker, their cousin.

Class of 1970: Russ and Elaine Marshall are pictured in front of the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Jan. 24, 2024.

Phil Jornlin. He reported being one of four VMI 1966 Delaware matriculants: Bill Bott, Tom Halliday, and Ted Bolton were the other three. Sadly, Bill and Ted have passed away. Phil left VMI early in the first semester of our 2nd Class year, joined the Navy, and served as a petty officer from 1969–72 with two duty tours in Vietnam. In 1972, he tried to return to VMI, but the administration required that he reenter the Corps. The GI Bill of Rights did not provide enough resources to pay all costs without supplemental work, so he had to consider other alternatives. When he heard that James Madison University offered unrelenting and unchaperoned partying and figured out that he could work to supplement the GI Bill, on to Harrisonburg, Virginia, he went, where he obtained B.S. (1975) and M.A. (1976) degrees sandwiched in between parties and rugby. Mostly, though, he was busy with academic studies and supporting himself. After JMU, he joined the U.S. State Department, serving as a special agent (1976–99) and site security manager (1999–present). That service included a 3-plus-year assignment in the mid-’90s to assist with opening the American Embassy in Hanoi, about 3-and-ahalf years in Iraq (2011–14), and 5 years in the Philippines in the ’80s. To this day, he still assists the State Department with managing construction projects. Retirement is a relative term for BR Jornlin. Recently, he completed his second stint as a TDY (temporary duty) diplomat with the U.S. State Department in Vietnam. At the end of last year, he visited Hanoi and met a group of women dressed in traditional Vietnamese Ao Dai garb who were attending a reunion luncheon at the Air Force Museum. It turns out that the women were all veterans of the Vietnam-American War. “One or two in the group might have been daughters, but the rest probably served on gun crews around Hanoi.” Once they found out Phil was a Vietnam War veteran, they wanted pictures of him with them. The fact that he is so good-looking helped matters enormously.

things that matter.

I excerpted the following information about John and his family from the Madisonian Magazine (JMU’s version of our quarterly Review.) John was about 5 years old in 2006 when he lost sight of his mother as they were fleeing Lebanon when Israelis invaded during the Hezbollah/Israeli conflict. A soldier standing by helped him reunite and evacuate to Cyprus and eventually Italy with his mother, aunt, and cousins. “I was rescued from a moment of panic by someone in the military,” John recalled. If not for that soldier, he said, “who knows what would have happened.” Since that day, the military has become “very tied to who I am.” As a result, John has devoted himself to helping veterans through his work at VALOR. “To be able to help others is the biggest reward for me.”

Phil met Marleine in 1998 in Beirut during his last assignment as a regional security officer at the embassy. They have spent some tours together, notably in Uganda, Angola, Jordan, and Cyprus. What a remarkable career!

Bob Hawthorne reported in. He is doing quite well despite having to be dialyzed three times a week. Many BRs have contacted him since he lost a kidney to cancer, including Glenn Kuntz, Mike Ferrari, Morgan Armstrong, Gary Tyler, and Kent Schlussel. Neil Steverson and his prayer group have “helped me through a tough time.” Bob is a fighter. He goes on with life with his wife, Cathy, and family by his side.

During Phil’s career, the Jornlins moved often. John, his son, and his wife, Marleine, were State Department dependents. John attended international schools in Rome, Amman, and Nicosia. His “dependent” experience set the stage for his work at JMU, from which he graduated

in 2023. He is now a graduate assistant at JMU, working on his M.A. degree, and serves as coordinator of the VALOR Resource Center, a JMU organization that “assists any military-related person on campus or in the community. VALOR has more than 1,300 active military members: Veterans, ROTC cadets, families, and dependents. John says that this childhood as a government dependent in an overseas environment gives him a perspective to which other dependents can relate. It sounds like John will do “big things” in this life,

Frank (known as Humpy to some, Chip to others) Humphrey reported with news and stories of other brother rats and alums. This past spring, he went to our dykes’ (’67) reunion and saw his dyke, who he had not seen since graduation. That, oddly enough, led him to consider how amazing it is that he managed to graduate from VMI since he was part of the Warren Grasty summer school crew. I imagine that should have helped him graduate, unless attendees at the Warren Grasty summer school, under orders from BR Grasty himself, were too busy with uptown business.

Frank also met R.G. McManus ’57, the Band Company drum major, who was in the movie “Mardi Gras” with Pat Boone. McManus was Frank’s English teacher in high school at Randolph-Macon Academy. Steve Friski was Frank’s

Class of 1970: Phil Jornlin attends a reunion luncheon for female veterans of the Vietnam War in Hanoi, Vietnam, in December 2023.

Class of 1970: Turner and Kathy Scott visit the Badlands National Park in South Dakota in September 2023.

classmate there. Attending the reunion was also Doug Huthwaite ’73, who dyked in Ken Schlussell’s, Bob Hawthorne’s, and Mike Fararri’s room in our 1st Class year. According to Kent Schlussel, Huthwaite left VMI his rat year and went to USMA. Kent and his wife, Judy, visited him at West Point long ago. Kent worked with Doug’s sister at the Pentagon for a time. “It’s funny how much of life is about connections,” Frank says. I sure find that to be true. Since I started my class agent responsibilities, I have learned with pleasure how deep and wide VMI connections run in life.

In December, Frank talked to Justin “Lefty” Blickensderfer. I will leave speculations about the nature of that “nickname” to the imagination. Lefty spends time in Atlanta and Sutter Creek, California. He and wife Carol are doing fine, Frank reports. Frank also talked to Skip Carver, who lives on Vashon Island in Washington. He and wife Brownie are doing OK, but Skip avoids ladders since he fell off one two years ago. Good idea, Skip. Ladders and old geezers don’t mix.

Frank’s mother, Mary, and father, Frank Sr., served in the armed forces during World War II. Frank Sr. joined the Army Air Force and ended up in Port Moresby, New Guinea, “a mosquito-infested $#*! hole.” B-25s flew out of there to push the Japanese back to the west. Mary got bored in the States and joined the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps, which Congress established in 1942. In 1943, they passed legislation that changed the name of the Corps to the Women’s Army Corps, made it part of the Army of the United States, and gave women all of the ranks, privileges, and benefits of their male counterparts. WAC members served in all three areas of the Army: The Army Air Forces, the Army Service Forces, and the Army Ground Forces. Women in the Corps generally served as clerks, typists, drivers, bakers, and cooks.

Mary followed the Army across North Africa in a WAC Wires Company (telephone communications) and ended up in Naples at the war’s end. Afterward, the Army sent her and her comrades home to America on a nonstop flight from Naples in a Douglas C-54 Skymaster.

“I remember when I was in school and needed something for show and tell. Mom gave me two photos taken by the Wires Company photography section. One was of Mussolini and his girlfriend ... lying in wooden coffins. The second one was [also of them.] The teacher about had a heart attack! Needless to say, the photos went back into my pocket to take home.” That is what I call a real

show and tell! Frank says, “My father took many photos in his Army time, including lots of B-25 nose art. I gave all of them to the World War II Museum in New Orleans.” Boy, what a story. I bet Frank Sr. and Mary had some stories to tell.

I heard from Turner Chambliss Scott, known to some as Tag, who said that that nickname faded away in his four years in active Army duty and 25 years in the guard and reserve. Bill Richardson still calls him Tag, but I will refer to him as Turner here. Turner and Kathy have visited with Bill and his wife, Ann, in Florida and San Miguel de Allende in Mexico. Bill’s daughter, Blair, married a Mexican architect, and they live in Mexico City. Turner and Kathy visited Blair, Ann, and Jorge (Blair’s husband) in Merida on the Yucatan coast in mid-February.

The Scotts split their time between Newport, Rhode Island, where Turner still practices municipal law, and San Miguel de Allende, a historic Spanish Colonial city and UNESCO World Heritage site situated at 6,400 feet elevation in a mountainous high desert plain about 200 miles (321 kilometers) northwest of Mexico City. Turner says, “The desert is full of gullies, arroyos, and farm dogs that occasionally nip at your heels when cycling through. About 10-12% of the 145,000 population are ex-pats or snowbirds (collectively called gringos)—mostly Canadians. The city is a holiday/wedding spot for wealthy Mexican families. Cow and goat trails are our biking routes. We walk across a cobblestone street to buy fresh eggs and chicken. A mother, son, three daughters, and an uncountable number of grandchildren live next door to us, with two lambs, one BIG dog, many cats, and chickens. We love the culture and the weather. Our Spanish is coming along. I can talk with cab drivers, caddies, and the guy at the

Class of 1970: Phil Jornlin took this photo of the cranes at Haiphong ports, Vietnam, Dec. 23, 2023. Jornlin visited Vietnam on one of his last State Department assignments.

tienda (store) around the corner who sells cheap Mexican beer, fresh veggies, fruit, and spices by the pinch. And I have not once been concerned for my safety. My Mexican golfing friends tell me there is nothing to worry about in San Miguel de Allende because the city is blessed to be the vacation home for several important families. I don’t inquire further.”

The Scotts graciously invite brother rats to visit them in Newport and San Miguel de Allende. Watch out, you two; some ne’er-do-well brother rats might take you up on that offer. A year or two ago, Tom Spink and his wife, Joanne, accepted Tag’s invite and visited him and Kathy. I’m not saying Tom is a ne’er-do-well, of course. Turner wanted me to pass on to the golfers in our class, especially the GOMBACS, that he regrets not joining BR golf outings in the Carolinas and reports that the Newport Country Club is holding the June U.S. Senior Open this year. The club is the site of the first U.S. Open and the first and 100th U.S. amateur. Being seniors ourselves, proper geezers, I suppose he thought you might be interested in this.

Turner’s family has deep VMI ties and an exemplary military service record. Turner Mason Chambliss Sr. ’914, a World War I and World War II veteran, was Turner’s maternal grandfather. After a 30-year Army career, Chambliss retired as a colonel and lived on a farm in Markham, Virginia. He now rests in Arlington National Cemetery with his wife, Bernice (brought up in Clifton Forge, Virginia). His son, Turner Mason Chambliss Jr., was a 1943 West Point graduate. On the night of June 5–6, 1944, 1st Lt. Chambliss, 2nd Platoon commander, Company G, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, parachuted into Normandy. A German sniper shot and killed him while he was trying to reach his unit’s objective.

Other relatives on the Chambliss side of Turner’s family are Robert C. Troxler ’63, who lives in NYC and has a successful banking career in international commerce. Also, Robert’s brother, Paul D. Troxler ’61, who died in 2021, was a strong VMI supporter. And finally, the Wilson family. Thomas J. Wilson III ’42, served in the Army in World War II, went to UVA law school, and served as a judge in Harrisonburg, Virginia. His son, Thomas J. Wilson IV ’74, followed in his father’s shoes and retired recently as a judge in the same court as his father. Thomas J. Wilson’s IV son, John C. Wilson ’13, practices civil engineering in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Russ Marshall and his wife, Elaine, are

enjoying a Christmas and new year cruise around South America. From Miami, they traveled to Lima, Peru, down the west coast through the Beagle Passage. They saw several glaciers and Cape Horn. One highlight was visiting Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro. There is more to this trip than this brief description. I will hog-tie Russ when they get back and get a full accounting.

Now for a few pearls of wisdom about our upcoming 55th Reunion April 14–15, 2025, or as I call it—the gathering of 1970 geezers. Warren Wagner wants to make sure we can book Zollmans for a party. I’m looking into it, but only if 30% of attendees commit to wearing togas and doing the gator in the April mud. That reminded George Ritko that at a mini reunion in Lexington years ago, the gator was quite popular, and he ended up being on the bottom of a seething pile of BR “gatorers” several times. He blames Ralph Costen for supplying the grain alcohol to fuel the “gatoring” frenzy. I fantasized about getting the Swinging Medallions to play, assuming they are still alive. Artie Pates assures me that they are alive and still performing. Soda Rawls chimed in to say that a recent article in Garden & Gun magazine (troubling subject combination) talked about the shag, so he wants that added to the dance repertoire. Some guys complained about the reunion being during the week. Jess Glidewell quipped that most of his retired friends don’t know what day of the week it is, anyway. That is about as far as I have gotten in reunion planning.

In closing, consider the geezer paradox offered by Chad Lash: “You don’t become cooler with age, but you care progressively less about being cool, which is the only way to be truly cool.”

In the spirit. Go Keydets.

1971

David Ellington

I am happy to report that even though we have all already reached or will soon reach the threequarters-of-a-century mark in age, our class roll remains the same. This is not to say that everyone remains healthy, wealthy, and wise, but rather, we have had no brother rat deaths since the deadline for these notes. However, unfortunately, Bill Wadsworth lost his wife of 42 years, Jerry, who

passed away peacefully at their home in Maryland Nov. 25. Let’s hope we can have another quiet quarter, including our wives and significant others.

With the spectrum of all the changes in the way college athletics is structured these days, the basketball team has had its challenges this year. True freshmen are an integral part of the team and see a lot of playing time. We have had consistent support from Ken and Marie Coleman, Jerry Acuff and son Ryan ’22, Mike Strickler, Buddy and Carol Bryan, and the ubiquitous Lanny and Terri Sue Gault. The team showed its true mettle with its performance against UNC–Greensboro, with a great second half after a very tough first half. The season will be over by the time you read this, but I think we need to give the team and coaches a big hats off and thank you for the battles they have fought and the manner in which they fought them this year.

I got a very nice letter from Emery Baya, along with a lot of very interesting information. The year after graduation, he entered the Army and attended the Engineer Officers Basic Course at Fort Belvoir. Later that year, he started grad school at the University of Florida and received a master’s degree in environmental engineering sciences in 1973. Soon afterward, he got a full-time engineering job with the Corps of Engineers in the Mobile, Alabama, area; a wife; then three children; and now four grandchildren. In 1974, he accepted a job with the Corps of Engineers, taking him to the Mobile area, where he has lived ever since. There followed over seven years in the Corps, where he “cut his teeth” in the environmental field and earned his professional engineering license. In 1981, an opportunity arose that speaks to the value of “VMI connections.” Vester J. Thompson Jr. ’40, whom Emery had gotten to know through Mobile Chapter alumni gatherings, owned a prominent engineering testing firm in Mobile. Vester was close friends with Joe Neikirk ’932 (a brother rat and roommate of Emery’s father, Harry P. Baya Jr. ’932, and cousin to our BR Jim Neikirk). When Vester mentioned to Joe that he needed an environmental person for his business, Joe said why not talk to Emery? Simple as that. He worked for Thompson Engineering for over 35 years, retiring in late 2016. He has been with his present partner, Angele Balthrop, for 23 years, and she has accompanied Emery to four reunions “even after meeting my reprobate BR buddies.” Since retiring, Emery and Angele have had quite a number of adventures, especially on the water. One “bucket list” dream he had long held was to

own a boat large enough to sleep on and cruise waters that he hadn’t been on before. Acquiring a 43-foot trawler in 2019, Emery and Angele cruised the Tennessee River and down the TennTom Waterway to Dauphin Island. In 2021, they traveled the Intracoastal Waterways to Jacksonville, Florida, and continued in 2022 up to Chesapeake Bay and explored it. Highlights include linking up with several BRs, including Ox and Anne Schrader; Skull and Betty Jane Turner; Rives and Nancy Potts; and his rat dyke, Thomas Walton ’74, and his wife, Abby. While driving back home after leaving the boat in Deltaville over the winter, they arranged a brief dinner stop

Class of 1971: Rick Littleton, Jan Jolissaint, and Herb Whitley bicycle on the Chessie Trail in February 2024.

Class of 1971: Ken Coleman (left) and Tommy Lawson.

with his roommate, Jay Sprouse. It was only the second time since 1970 that they had seen each other. Other BRs seen on these visits have been Bookie Barksdale and wife Chuckie and Oscar Padgett. Emery relates that “other travels last year included a late September trip to Colorado. Before flying back, we met Pat ‘T.V.’ Wise and his lovely wife, Casey, for lunch in Longmont, which is near their home in Firestone, north of Denver. They moved to Colorado a few years back to be near their son and grandchildren. T.V. is fit and well, and he enjoys long-distance bicycling with his son in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.”

Of great interest and news is that when I wrote Jim Neikirk regarding his exact relation to Joe Neikirk; in the reply, he informed me that Dec. 16, 2023, he made Nancy Bertin the new Nancy Neikirk. He included a picture that confirms both their youthful appearances. Congratulations, BR.

Jane and I were down in Hilton Head, South Carolina, right after New Year’s with Ned and Anne Mikula. At this time of year, there are few people and fewer bugs, and it’s far enough south that the temperature is not freezing. The fact that I can’t get in the water is of no concern, as I developed a rather severe case of aqua-aversion/phobia after rat swimming. While there, we happened to have a mini reunion of sorts with Jay Sprouse, a BR, who, like Emery Baya, I had only seen once since the end of our 2nd Class year; Aaron Phillips; and Bob Sydnor and wife Joan. After VMI, Jay graduated from William & Mary. He next moved back to his hometown of Charlottesville and obtained a graduate degree in counseling from UVA. After this, he worked as a guidance counselor and coached football at Western Albemarle High School for the next 23 years. Then, Jay got in contact with Cat Ballowe, who was superintendent of schools in the Hilton Head area of South Carolina and got a job with the school system there and continued his school counseling career for another 17 years. Jay lives in Bluffton now and, except for his graying hair,

looks unchanged. Aaron “Nitro” Phillips finished his undergraduate education with a degree in industrial management at West Virginia University. He spent his career in HR working in multiple locations all over the country, including Chicago, finally ending in Savannah, where he now lives. One of his more interesting jobs was working for the company that perfected the method for making unleaded gas. As with Jay, with the exception of his greying hair and eyebrows, Aaron looks and sounds as if he just stepped out of his room at VMI and could suit up and play football again. Bob and Joan Sydnor moved to Spring Island, just south

of Beaufort, after he retired from his orthopedic practice in Lynchburg. As noted previously, Bob is quite a hunter, from several 100-pound sheep in the mountains of Tajikistan to water buffalo in Africa to quail in South Carolina to pheasants in the Midwest. He brought several quail “popper” appetizers to our supper, along with a ton of great stories. In addition to his travels and hunting, Bob has turned into quite the Renaissance man. He has taken up painting on an easel, not his house, and writing. He sent his short piece to me to read. It was incredibly poignant and very artfully expressed. Pretty amazing for a biology major. Ned is doing well, still working as an attorney, and is in amazing shape, considering the amount of physical abuse he suffered playing football and wrestling. He works out several times a week at a club in Richmond, where he sees Lanny Gault on a regular basis. Not sure what the ratio between “working out” versus verbally “working out the problems of the world” actually is when these two are together, but they both appear to be in good shape.

I came across a note written by Ed Artiglia written several months ago but hidden in an older VMI Register of Former Cadets. Ed remarked that, “Not much news about VMI makes its way out to New Mexico; thought you would be interested.” Enclosed was a quiz from the Albuquerque Journal entitled, “Our President’s Fallen Relatives.” Question No. 6: On May 15, 1864, 10 teenage military cadets from the Virginia Military Institute were killed in the Battle of New Market, Virginia. One was related to which president? A. George Washington, B. Thomas Jefferson, C. James Madison, D. James Monroe. Answer: Next Alumni Review edition.

I received a very nice note from Allan Lindsay-O’Neal, who now lives in San Leandro, California. Allan was with us for two years and then finished his education at the University of the Pacific. He remained in California for the remainder of his career, working in the credit department at California Glass. He is adjusting from the recent

Class of 1971: Gathering in Hilton Head, South Carolina, are (from left) Aaron Phillips, Jay Sprouse, Zeke Ellington, Ned Mikula, and Bob Sydnor.

Class of 1971: Zeke and Jane Ellington, Buddy and Carol Bryan, and Mike and Doris Strickler at the presentation of the George C. Marshall Foundation’s Andrew J. Goodpaster Award to retired U.S. Army Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III ’62, superintendent emeritus, at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia, Dec. 1, 2023.

loss of his wife from cancer but states that he is slowly getting back on his feet. He has plans to travel through Virginia this year and is looking forward to being able to stop in Lexington on his trip. (“How can I not stop there?”)

Andy Ash writes that he moved from hot, flat Fayetteville, North Carolina, to cool, mountainous Highlands, North Carolina, in January. His wife, Mary, will join him in May when she retires. Andy and family are all doing well, and he is looking forward to the move.

Bill and Margaret Ginder sent a Christmas card that is breathtaking in the breadth of vistas and places visited. In addition to the two pictures of Bill in a Santa suit (classics), there are pictures that appear to show the happy couple in front of the illuminated Eiffel Tower; in either the Alps or the Rockies; in front of a waterfall (Iceland?); off the coast of Scotland or Ireland; at the Kentucky Derby; and the topper, the happy travelers at some type of Viking event, caped in white and blue and Bill wearing a Viking helmet with two large protruding horns and a big grin. Move over, Lanny; I think we have a new travel champ! Jane questioned whether this was actually last year’s card, but I responded, “Might be, but these pictures are so incredible they need another mention!”

Mike Schriver sent a card that contained some real surprises. After graduating from VMI with a degree in English, Mike attended Texas A&M and pulled an Aggie hat trick, three degrees including a BS, a MS, and a DVM. Since then, he has been practicing veterinary medicine in Maryland and is contemplating retirement and a move to Lexington. Interestingly, Mike has two children here in Lexington: A son, Oliver, who is a deputy sheriff in Rockbridge County, and a daughter, Mary Schriver Noe ’14, who works in the office of admissions at the Institute. Even more exciting is that each family had a child this past year, giving Mike and Ann their first two grandchildren. Speaking of grandchildren, Dave and Martha Kennedy are also brand-new grandparents with the birth of a granddaughter. This is also their first grandchild.

Another BR will have a grand attend the Institute as Scott Miller’s grandson, Miller Tatum, who looks like he has several inches on Scott, will be matriculating at the Institute this fall on a lacrosse scholarship. Scott says he has multiple visits already planned.

On Dec. 1, 2023, Buddy and Carol Bryan, Doris and Mike Strickler, and Jane and I traveled to the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington to celebrate the awarding of the General Andrew Goodpaster Award from the George C. Marshall

Foundation to General J.H. Binford Peay ’62.

The award is given by the Marshall Foundation to “American business leaders, politicians, military leaders and others who have served our nation in exemplary ways, who, like General Goodpaster, have exhibited great courage, selfless service, patriotism and leadership in their lives and careers.” Gen. Peay met these standards many times over during his military career and his service as superintendent at the Institute. Gen. John Jumper ’66, a past awardee himself, led the program, followed by an inspiring and truthful to-the-core speech by Gen. Peay. Looking around the room and seeing so many VMI grads present in support of Gen. Peay was gratifying, and the inescapable emotion was that, indeed, the Institute was heard from that night. Although not in attendance, our Brother Rat Paul Fraim was recognized for his efforts as a member of the planning committee for the evening.

Not to be outdone by Corn Biggs, D. Walton, or even Eddy Merckx (winner of the Tour de France in 1971), I was made aware of a new cycling team that will put other racing teams to shame. Rick Littleton, Van Jolissaint, and Herb Whitley meet on an almost weekly basis for a 10-20-mile ride on one of the Virginia Rails to Trails networks, which goes along old, no longer used railbeds. The trails they ride include the Riverside Trails in Lynchburg, Virginia; Rail Trail near Lovingston; the Jackson River Trail in Covington; the Highbridge Trail in Farmville; the Chessie Trail here

in Lexington; and several others. When in Lexington, they will meet for lunch after the ride. They are seasoned riders, in shape and ready to go. I met them after the ride at Macado’s for a pleasant lunch and plenty of stories with hopes of joining them for an occasional ride in the future.

Now, the update on the gim list. Before I get to the particulars, I would like to repeat a recurring theme that I hear over and over is how much our BRs, their wives, and families appreciate the time and effort taken by others to support and care for them when health issues strike. They are truly grateful, and I can tell you your efforts and activities are truly appreciated. Under the heading of “caught in the nick of time,” our lead success story has to be Bill Beattie. Bill was found to have 80% blockage of one of his carotid arteries (the main arteries in the neck that go up to the brain) and 100% blockage of the other. Since they usually don’t mess with a carotid that is 100% obstructed, he had the other one “cleaned out” and then followed that with a three-vessel coronary bypass. He is doing very well in recovery and has nothing but praise for the whole team at Chippenham Hospital’s cardiac ICU and cardiac rehab team. What a wonderful outcome to two very serious problems. Ox Schrader wrote and told me that Randy Snow had also had some heart issues. Upon writing Randy in Tampa, I found out that, last January, he also underwent cardiac bypass surgery. Not to be deterred, he recovered quickly enough to attend the Daytona 500 six weeks later and has since completed a couple of 5K races over the past year. He is doing well and stated, “To quote Lou Gehrig, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the Earth.” He sends best wishes to all. Last summer, Skull Turner began coughing and having trouble getting his breath while working out at the gym. He underwent an extensive evaluation and was found to have multiple blood clots which had traveled from his legs to his lungs. He is on medication now and is doing well and back in the gym working out again. In the interim, his wife, B.J., underwent a knee replacement. They both are doing fine. In the when it rains, it pours category, John Nilon’s lymphoma is stable, but he did fracture his ankle in a fall and contracted RSV, from both of which he has recovered. Consistent with John’s can-do attitude, he “has no complaints.” Also, on the orthopedic ward have been Mike Strickler, knee meniscus surgery, from which he has made a rapid and excellent recovery, and Jim Heeley, spinal surgery, where he is, in February, still early in the post-operative recovery phase but expecting to do well. Carl Biersack relates that Ann continues

Class of 1971: Pictured in Colorado are Pat “T.V.” Wise and Emery “Big E” Baya.

her gradual recovery but had a rocky winter with a fall, broken ribs, and pneumonia. She is much improved now with home therapy and PT and seems to be progressing. Carl is especially thankful for BRs Schrader, Haywood, Piernick, and Guffey for all their continuing support.

Jane and I usually take a walk in the late afternoon from our house, which is located at the top of Jefferson Street near the cemetery. We go down through the W&L campus, then around the Parade Ground, and then back home. Usually, we will either hear or see the evening gun off, signifying retreat. On the afternoon of Feb. 6, we heard the cannon go off soon after starting. As we neared the VMI post, we could hear a sustained, regular salvo of cannon blasts and, as we got nearer, the loud chorus of multiple voices. By the time we got to Moody Hall, we realized this was Breakout, so we climbed the stairs to the front porch and had a panoramic view of the proceedings. The Parade Ground appeared as if it was the stage for a movie of Dante’s “Inferno,” done in the style of Pieter Bruegel. Various divisions of rats, under the supervision of cadre, were in multiple clumps and groups, either doing pushups, trying to low crawl across the length of the Parade Ground, or running in place; all in fatigues, all carrying heavy packs, and many, if not all, the object of rather loud “ individual attention.” As the sun was setting, the cannon continued blazing away, spewing out smoke rings and covering the entire area with deep haze. Above all the sounds of shouting, yelling, and the cannonade was the high-pitched whine of bagpipes playing “Scotland the Brave.” Then, as if by magic, the witching hour arrived. All the yelling stopped, as did the crawling and other activities, and like two swarms of bees, the Rat Mass moved to barracks, entered Marshall and Main Arches, and disappeared, headed to the final phase of the transition out of the Rat Line. The Parade Ground was eerily quiet and empty except for two or three black-shirted cadre members who appeared to be picking up the debris and detritus left behind. As Jane and I left to walk back home, all I could think was this wasn’t like Breakout in 1968, and this was an event that the members of the Class of ’27 will certainly remember!

In ending, I would like to thank all of you who sent Christmas cards and are kind enough to keep me up to date on your lives. It is amazing the stories, the trials and tribulations, and the successes that many of our BRs and their families have shared. I certainly appreciate you keeping all of us appraised of your experiences. It’s hard to believe, but our 55th Reunion is now only a couple of years

away, so stay healthy and start making plans for your attendance at the event.

Zeke

1972

Larry Houseworth

Greetings, BRs, Sisters, Families, and Friends,

These notes cover Thanksgiving through the holidays and up to Super Bowl weekend. It’s drizzly grey here in the Holy City, but Marie’s daffodils and Spanish bluebells are boldly hinting at an early appearance this year.

The alumni opinion survey was a big success. It was conducted by Performance Enhancement Group Ltd. of Houston, whose in-state clients also include UVA, Tech, William & Mary, George Mason University, and James Madison University. Other clients include Texas A&M, Georgia Tech, and Arizona State. The survey had a response rate of 20%, which is as high or higher than usual. Just over 75% of respondents reported their current opinion of VMI as good to excellent, and 84% described their experience as an alumnus as good or excellent. And the Alumni Association’s decision to implement electronic voting was validated by the respondents’ identification of the importance of transparency and access in Alumni Association actions.

The fact that 69.6% of the respondents acknowledged donating to VMI in the last five years validates a recognized maxim across all colleges and universities, public and private. According to Hanover Research of Arlington, Virginia, “Donors are compelled to give back when they’re emotionally motivated by a positive academic experience, when they believe their education prepared them for a future career, and when they feel connected to the institution and its networks of people.”

And how does this manifest itself at VMI? The National Association of College and University Business Offices and TIAA Insurance’s Study of Endowments for FY 2022 (tiaa.org/public/institute/publication/2022/nacubo-and-tiaa-study-endowments) identified VMI as the highest-ranked baccalaureate-level public college or university (among 720 public and private institutions of higher learning) for endowment dollars per student. Additionally, Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce Ranking

Return on Investment of 4,500 U.S. Colleges and Universities ranks VMI’s Net Present Value over 40 years as No. 1 among Virginia’s public colleges and universities, No. 2 among in-state public and private colleges and universities, and No. 13 nationally among all public colleges and universities

Class of 1972: Leo Szydlowski.

Class of 1972: Tom and Sally Moncure with their son, U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Clark Moncure ’06, at his change of command ceremony at Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico.

(ranking just behind Cal–Berkeley’s baccalaureate programs and just ahead of the University of Michigan’s). Lofty company, indeed, and a clear statement of the value our alumni place on the VMI experience.

On to our news. Wade Houston and Walt Galanty have been hard at work researching an encore Class of 1972 old rats’ golf trip tentatively planned for fall 2024 in Las Vegas-ish. I anticipate we will have heard more by the time you read these notes in May.

Bob Bailey, paraphrasing Robert Burns’ “even the best plans of mice and men aft gang astray,” sent this. Bob and Grace, along with Jerry and Lee Higgins, planned to get together when the Higginses traveled from Virginia to vacation and visit relatives in Clearwater, Florida. Bob and Grace live nearby in the Tampa suburbs. Bob says, “Last year, we had a great rendezvous at a waterfront restaurant. This year, we weren’t so lucky—sunny Florida was storming with waves spilling over the causeways and tornados popping up. The news stations warned about travel, and safety prevailed. Jerry and I shared our promises to try again in the future. By the next day, Florida was back to normal, and Jerry was on his way, pulling a trailer, back to the Shenandoah Valley.” Wise move, BRs.

Cindy Murphy, Murf’s better half, sent this newsy note. “I’m submitting this on behalf of my husband because as much as he says he’ll do it, I know it will never happen if I leave it up to him! So, recently, we have rekindled an old friendship with Geoff Bull and his lovely wife, Janice. We’ve been to dinner quite a few times and actually attended Geoff’s annual Christmas party, which was a reenactment of an English Renaissance Christmas at a local castle/ restaurant. Geoff even wore his kilt! Over the holidays, we were delighted to host Geoff and his family; daughter, Katherine; son-in-law, Ben; and grandchildren, Jeremiah and Gloria, at our house for our annual Christmas train open house. We all had a lovely time, and Geoff is

going to prescribe medication for Murf’s addiction to trains! That’s about it for now; I promise to get pictures for the next Review. We’re planning a visit with Bax West, Barry Bartley, and Bob MacMeccan soon, so I’ll post something from then, also.” Thanks so much, Cindy. You’ve spared your spouse some rather colorful “remembrances” that I bank for our less communicative throng.

“Professor and historian” Eric Hammersen has been requested by the mayor of Fredericksburg, Texas, “to take the lead (as a volunteer, not as any sort of employee) to set up an appropriate commemorative event for the 175th anniversary of the establishment of Fort Martin Scott on the southern edge of today’s city limits (175 years ago, it was two miles south of

town).” Fort Martin Scott, in operation from 1848–53, was the first U.S. Army outpost built on the Texas frontier. Texas Rangers used the site as a camp, both before and after military occupation, and the Confederate Army occupied the fort for a brief period.

The event (Friday, March 8) was to be followed by a concert under the stars featuring the U.S. Army Band from Fort Sam Houston and a local heritage German choir. Included will be a memorial stone dedication, regimental colors presentation, historical exhibits, and reenactments. Eric says he’s “also been collaborating with other folks on writing a series of articles on the history of the fort that will be published as a pull-out section in our local newspaper at the end of February. I’ve gotten to know a lot of folks whose families arrived here with the first German immigrants—the same day that the Mexican War began (they walked the 240 miles from the coast because the Army had hired all the available wagons, carts, oxen, mules, and horses to move the troops and their supplies from Corpus Christi down to the mouth of the Rio Grande). We may have 100 folks show up—or more than 1,000. It’s a moving target, and that weekend last year, this town had 56,000 out-of-town visitors. It’s the start of school break for this part of Texas. (It’s a fun project, and I’ve learned a lot about things I never knew before.)” Just reading this, so have we, BR. And, in a quick back and forth about golf planning, Eric demurred, saying, “Fortunately, I never took up golf as a hobby. Because we have a great golf course here in town, and that would likely suck up a lot of my time now that I’m a PFC (peaceful friendly civilian).”

Gale Sommers says, “It will be in the Alumni News section, but I was recently appointed to the board of directors for Soaak Technologies, Inc., a Tulsa, Oklahoma-based firm that provides innovative health technology solutions, revolutionizing personal health through the power of

Class of 1972: Gale Sommers, Bill Collier, Bob Stransky, and Bill Irby at the Institute Society Dinner.

Class of 1972: Diana and Steve Thompson ’78, Gale and Ray Lawson ’81, Ken Chacey, and Kathy and Henry Knick at the home of Jed Knick ’00 on Founders Day in fall 2023.

AI and machine learning using sound frequency compositions.” He also said of the golf outing at The Villages, that “Galanty, Wilkerson, Valentine, and I rented a house together when we were there and had a great time.” I’ll bet.

Proud parents Tom and Sally Moncure “ventured to Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, in December to attend the change of command ceremony of the 16th Special Operations Squadron. Son Lieutenant Colonel Clark Moncure ’06 assumed command of the AC-130 gunship squadron as proud mom and dad looked on!” Very, very impressive, Moncures!

Both Phil and Bill Smith checked in. Bill writes, “I’m still the primary care partner for Pat. She has been in hospice six years now at home. She is hospital bed- and wheelchair-bound but still smiles and eats well. No way to care for her by myself, so I have people helping me out 12 hours a day, not cheap. Phil is always a big help. To stay active, I try to babysit my two grandsons, William (4) and Theodore (1), once a week, and I walk an hour a day. I also helped plan my youngest daughter’s wedding last April at the Princess Anne Country Club in Virginia Beach. Great band and lots of fun. So, both daughters are now married to great guys.” Phil says, “Barbara and I have seven grandkids here locally, and this past August, all of us went to Madrid and Paris for two weeks. I retired from working at Jacobs Engineering in 2021, and Barbara and I have traveled to Ireland and Bermuda in addition to Paris and Madrid in the last year. Also, my younger brother Glenn, who attended VMI, has a grandson, Carter Dillinger,

Class of 1972: Bob Depew, John and Joan Sayers, and Henry Knick, all 1968 graduates of Staunton High School (formerly Robert E. Lee High School) in Staunton, Virginia.

who just got accepted to VMI. Great news, as we will be there more often now to see him.” You all are saints, BRs.

Bob Stransky sent “a pic of the ’72 BRs who attended the Institute Society Dinner this year. Pam Collier and Linda Irby joined the ‘old guys.’” You boys sure clean up good.

Speaking of cleaning up good, “gunslinger” Leo Sydlowski sent a clue of what he does when he’s not bluegrass-music pickin’.

Henry Knick sent notes with each of two pictures. He said “The Robert E. Lee High School (Staunton, Virginia, class of ’68) had a luncheon Sept. 16 to celebrate 55 years. In attendance were Bob Depew, John and Joan Sayers, and Henry Knick. We miss our other Staunton BR, George Goodrow.” Later, he said, “We had a Founders Day event at my son’s house (Jed Knick ’00). We had a small but spirited group attending. A lot of good food and stories, including the details behind VMI’s kidnapping the Army mule in September 1981. Those in attendance were left to right: Diana and Steve Thompson ’78, Gale and Ray Lawson ’81, Ken Chacey, and Kathy and Henry Knick.” Looks like good times all around.

Walt Galanty, filling in info from the golf outing at The Villages, said, “Phil Wilkerson, Dick Valentine, Gale Sommers, and I rented a house to share during the mini reunion at The Villages. It was nice for us to share many current and old memories during our stay. Phil came down on the Auto Train from Virginia and did not play golf but was able to drive the golf cart while Gale walked the course every day. What a magical and fun time. I am working on trying to schedule another event next year in Las Vegas for golf and good times. Not everyone played golf, but everyone had a great time!” Thanks, BR—we’re really looking forward to the encore.

Holiday greetings were bright, cheery, and filled with travel highlights, growing grands, and an occasional snark. The Benhams, Harts, Fosters, and Williams, among others, should manage a ’72 travel channel. The Griffiths, Colliers, Bauers, and VanLandinghams are all modern-day Currier and Ives models. And man of few words, Pat Moore, says, “All’s well here in NorCal, but the pull of the Commonwealth gets stronger every year as California’s !#*! factor continues to rise.” Come on back any time, BR.

That’s it for now, gang. Take care of you and yours, trust but verify, trust your gut, and let’s look out for each other—RVM!

Larry

1973

Mike Kelly

Hello to all my brother rats! I hope all of you are doing well and surviving this winter. It has been pretty rough in some areas, but the good news is when you read these notes, it will be spring and getting warmer, and we will be making plans for summer vacations! I hope everyone had a nice holiday season and is enjoying a prosperous new year.

Pat and I are still trying to do some remodeling and finish unpacking. It is amazing what you can accumulate in 20 years and then try to move into half the space you once had. We have been able to do things with the kids and grandkids and spent time in the Atlanta area over Christmas with most of the kids and grandkids. I have been helping one of my daughters coach her basketball team, and baseball season is getting ready to crank up. We have enjoyed shows together, as well as babysitting some and getting to know our new neighbors. It was really nice to hear from so many of you over the holidays. I think our class has been busy during the past year, and I received a lot of cards and letters from folks about their trips and families. Unfortunately, I had to recently share some sad news with the class. Our BR Bob Ball passed away Nov. 28, 2023, after a lengthy battle with cancer. Robert Michael Ball was commissioned into the Army and spent 20 years serving as a dentist. Upon retiring, Bob moved back to his hometown of St. Clairsville, Ohio, and became a science schoolteacher and active in his church. Bob was able to attend our reunion in 2023 and spoke many times about how glad he was to be able to attend and meet up with our BRs. Bob’s wife, Linda, passed away several years ago, and he is survived by a son, Rob, and daughter, Katie. Bob was a fellow bio major and was a super guy. Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers.

In the last issue of the Review, I mentioned that Tom and Bonnie Clark had just returned from a trip to Korea. Tom reported they had their annual Hawaii trip in February and sent lots of pictures of them enjoying the sights in shorts and bathing suits, as they were trying to escape the 12-degree weather in Colorado. However, within two days of returning home to Colorado Springs, they were covered with 5 inches of

snow and faced with single-digit temperatures. Now, that is a dose of reality! Tom said he immediately began planning a summer trip to Costa Rica to celebrate their 50th anniversary.

John Benson sent me a note following his 73rd birthday. (A lot of us have hit that 73rd birthday mark in the past few months. I think it should be a great year.) John said that he and his wife, Janet, were headed to the Dominican Republic with all the family in January to celebrate their 50th anniversary. They were going to be joined by Paul and Donna Forehand on the trip, as Donna served as Janet’s maid of honor, and Paul was one of the groomsmen. I have not heard how the trip went, but I expect they had a great time.

Klaus Worrell sent me a picture of BRs and significant others. The group gathered in Baltimore in February to attend a play, have dinner, and enjoy a midwinter get-together. In addition to Klaus and Laura, also attending were Larry and Laurel Cerruti, Ken and Sherry Kalisky, Larry and Debbie Mays, Sandy McNamara and Janie McNamara, Art and Susannah Pendleton, as well as John and Dottie Semmel I have spoken to Klaus, Ken, and Larry, and all have said they had a great time. Klaus said he and Laura were getting ready for a spring river cruise in Europe and looking forward to that.

Ken and Sherry hosted a dinner at their Pawleys Island, South Carolina, home Jan. 13. In attendance were Michael and Susan Smith, Hal Laughlan, and Klaus and Laura Worrell. I heard five-star ratings were in order for Sherry’s dinner! Ken said they also all had a great time.

Neil Carlson and his wife, Jennie, have been on several trips in the past couple of years, including Hawaii and Alaska. They have a souped-up van/camper and have enjoyed touring the country. Upon returning from a trip last summer, they found their attempts to become energy efficient were jeopardized by a hail storm that severely damaged their solar panel grid. They have been

working hard to recover and have decided to slow down on their travels this year, and Neil said he has plenty of work to do with his new cordless chainsaw. Like many of us, they are also faced with some medical challenges and are trying to change their lifestyle somewhat. (I know the feeling—been to more doctors in the past two years than in the previous 20!) Good luck, Neil. Hope you all enjoy some rest and home time.

Mark Cunningham ’74 sent me a picture of a group of alumni who were on the swim and diving team during our school years. John Leon attended the function held in January. The picture is included in the class notes for ’74, and John is in the red shirt in the middle. Thanks to Mark for

sharing and for John’s participation.

I had a note from John Sykes, who said he had slipped on some boxes in his garage last December and ruptured his right patella tendon. The day after Christmas, he had surgery and has been doing physical therapy to help the healing process. He indicated Michaela had been her “normal angel self” and taking good care of him. Larry Mays has made similar comments about his wife, Debbie, as he experienced some heart problems and had to undergo weeks of physical therapy after open-heart surgery. Best of luck, BRs; work hard, and stay healthy.

It has been a while since I heard from Doug and Beth Basham They live in the Roanoke area and have been very involved with family, especially the grandkids. Doug said that over Christmas, they had a house full of family with 11 adults, four grandchildren, and five dogs! Although it was somewhat hectic, Doug said they all really had a great time. Doug still serves as captain of the Roanoke “high school chain gang,” which he has been doing for 45 years, and he has been working with VMI for nine years, where he often runs into some of our BRs. Doug spends his spare time doing woodwork and building furniture.

Many of you sent nice notes and comments about Bob Ball and how you remembered him. Bill Stoner mentioned that he and his wife were in Germany about the same time. Bob’s wife had a son while there, and Bill’s son was born about the same time. Roland Tiso talked about what a superb cadet, athlete, and true gentleman Bob was and that he always had a kind word for everyone. Bob Luther said he and his wife, Melanie, did not live very far from Bob, and he remembered him as a fellow A Company cadet, and they were “neighbors” on the fourth stoop. Jim Harvey replied to Bob’s passing and remembered him as a real gentleman. Bob Luther also said his son, Kurt, who has been an adjunct professor at VMI, was recently promoted to first lieutenant in the Virginia Defense

Class of 1973: Members of the class, (from left) Willy Wells, Dave Woody, Tom Linn, Danny Williamson, and Steve Lane, gather to view the dedicatory plaque recently installed at the Unity Tree on post, which was planted in spring 2023 in conjunction with their 50th Reunion.

Class of 1973: Klaus Worrell, Hal Laughlin, Mike Smith, and Ken Kalisky at Sherry and Ken’s home in Pawleys Island, South Carolina, Jan. 13, 2024.

Class notes

Force and was involved in cyber security.

I hear from Roland and Judie Tiso on a regular basis (in fact, I get notes from Ro about every day!) He recently completed and published his book, “In Strange Company,” and a picture is included in this issue of him and Judie at their first book signing. The book highlights his assignments in the Middle East, especially his work with many foreign governments and countries there, as well as Eastern Europe. While he had many assignments, Roland is very proud to have worked with so many different countries and their militaries and details his experiences in this book. Roland recently received another commendation from Ukraine. Twenty years ago, he was working with the Ukrainian Brigade on the Iranian border in support of the 72nd Brigade. He was awarded the Commander’s Commemorative Medal for meritorious service. In 2004, Roland was awarded the Order of Valor and Honor by the Ukrainians for his service in combat with them, which is discussed in his book. Congratulations, Ro! You have served our class well.

with Mary in the gardens and is hoping to get his woodworking shop back up and running soon. They are spending more time at the St. Marks River property and at their lake cottage. Sounds great! Pat and I look forward to another trip to the lake house this year!

And, as many of you know, Larry Mays has had his share of medical issues over the past couple of years. Before Christmas, he had heart issues, underwent bypass surgery, and spent most of his

holidays in rehab. I am pleased to report that, with his controlled activity, overseen by his lovely wife, Debbie, he is doing quite well and ready to get back out and enjoy himself. So glad to hear you are doing well, Larry. Please take care of yourself. Larry, who chaired our 50th Reunion Committee, is now working on a mini reunion to commemorate our 55th year since matriculating. We are planning a gathering at McKethan Park Aug. 21, and Larry has a block of rooms reserved at the Hunt Ridge Best Western. Please put it on your calendar and plan to attend. More information to follow.

Class of 1973: Members of the class enjoying a mid-winter gathering in Baltimore, Maryland, in February are (seated, from left) Sandy McNamara, Larry Mays, Debbie Mays, (standing) John Semmel, Janie McNamara, Art Pendleton, Susannah Pendleton, Klaus Worrell, Laura Worrell, Laurel Cerruti, Larry Cerruti, Sherry Kalisky, and Ken Kalisky. Not pictured is Dottie Semmel.

Doug and Pat Huthwaite recently went to Fort Moore (formerly Fort Benning) to pin the Army Airborne wings on Anna Armfield ’21, who is a friend of the family. A picture of the ceremony can be found in the Class of ’21 notes. Doug and Pat are enjoying the retired life in the mountains of North Carolina in a little town known as Murphy. They frequently post pictures of the mountains and countryside around their home. Really nice and quiet, and beautiful!

I have been in regular contact with M.B. Adelson and in several phone conversations with him. He has been working hard for the past few months to lose weight and meet some physical goals he set for himself. As a result, he began having some pain and abdominal issues, and after some tests and an MRI, he discovered he had three hernias and gallstones—many related to his years of playing rugby. In February, he underwent hernia surgery and had his gallbladder removed. M.B. reports that the surgery went well, and he is in full recovery mode and feeling great. Congrats to you, BR, for your stamina and hard work! M.B. is semi-retiring, closing cases and clients and not adding new ones. He is spending time working

Class of 1973: Roland and Judie Tiso in Tampa, Florida, at the first signing for Roland’s newly released book, “In Strange Company.”

I had a nice Christmas letter and card from Dave and Susan Northcraft. They have made several trips to Colorado to see the kids and grandchildren and have done some sightseeing across the country. Dave drove back to Missouri from their son Daniel’s home in Colorado, stopping along the way to visit airports and museums. Susan flew to Virginia to do some sightseeing in Williamsburg and Washington with one of the granddaughters. Susan and Dave visited Branson, Missouri, to take in some shows and talked about how great they were.

We received several other cards from BRs over the holidays. Dean and Carol Smith sent both a Christmas card and a happy new year card, and Dean included his latest list of jokes. They live in St. Cloud, Florida.

Ann and John Pinner always send a nice note from North Georgia. Ann frequently posts pictures from their home in the mountains, and they seem to enjoy it more each year. Last summer, they spent some time in Colorado with their son and grandkids and then vacationed in Florida.

I also had cards and notes from Craig Kugelberg, Willie Wells, and John and Michaela Sykes All said they were doing well.

Included in my notes for this issue is a picture of BRs who gathered for lunch and visited our Unity Tree to view the permanent bronze plaque that was recently installed. Pictured are Willie Wells, Dave Woody, Tom Linn, Danny Williamson, and Steve Lane. We have gotten lots of compliments, and I have heard from many of you, including R.B. Newman, Scott Lingamfelter, George Goodwin, and Mac Kirpatrick, about how nice the tree looks and how meaningful the plaque is. Again, thanks to Jeff Minch, who spearheaded

Class Notes

the tree and made it happen, and to the leadership of our 50th Reunion Committee, who played key roles in the event.

As I have mentioned in previous notes, a core group of folks from our 50th Reunion Committee has continued to meet during the past several months and have now named ourselves the Parapet Society. Our goals are to support VMI in recruiting by attending college fairs and recruitment events, talking to prospective cadets and parents, and most importantly, providing a venue for positive commentary and news about VMI. We are working on resolutions and testimonials from alumni about why they chose VMI and how the VMI education—one that is 24/7 and not just a few hours a week in a classroom—prepared them and carried them through their careers. VMI is a unique school and is probably the best college in the country for preparing students to be leaders in the 21st century. Please let me know if you would like to help support our class in getting these messages out. We started paving the way with our reunion, resolution, and unity tree, and it is exciting to think about the possibilities before us.

I hope that each of you is doing well and have a great summer. Please remember to fly the colors May 15 and make plans to attend our event in August. Take care, and be safe. God bless VMI and the Class of ’73.

In the Bonds, Mike

1974

Greetings, Brother Rats, Family, and Friends of the Class of 1974!

I trust this missive will find you in good spirits. Once again, Christmas and New Year’s have come and gone! By the time you read these notes, our 50th Reunion will be in the books and hopefully a pleasant memory for those that attended. The following covers the period from Nov. 16, 2023–Feb. 15, 2024.

Got a call from Randy Gleason in late November. It seems that Randy was complaining about some chest pains and visited the doctor to check it out. Turns out it was a 90% blockage—scheduled the operation to insert stents. All went well,

and Randy is better now. The moral of that story—at our age, with a little chest pain, do not mess around and have it checked out! As Spock used to say, “May you live long and prosper!”

Proud papa moment—Andy Eason’s oldest son, Christopher A. Eason, was promoted to brigadier general by Maj. Gen. Thomas H. Mancini, the adjutant general, Oklahoma National Guard, Dec. 1. The event took place in the Ceremonial Supreme Court room, Oklahoma State Capitol Building, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Andy wrote, “To tell you I am proud of his accomplishments would be an understatement.” Andy and Marcie Eason are also proud of their eight grandkids: A state champion cheerleader, a volleyball player, a rock climber/violinist, a baseball player, a tumbler, and the youngest cutie pie. All are healthy, some are wealthy, and a few are wise. Many blessings.

Ted and Susan Telle sent their Christmas greetings from their new digs at The Villages and have declared that they love it there. Ted mentioned plans for a “roomie” meeting in January with Charlie and Tommie Toler and Bert and Jane Zinkand. I wonder should I alert the media or the law? Time will tell! Thanks for the note, Ted. Marla and I might be down to visit!

Mike and Sarah Fisher sent their season’s greetings. Mike is staying busy as a gentleman farmer with goats, chickens, hogs, a cow, and a donkey. They do a lot of traveling and are on the grandparenting babysitting duty roster. Thanks for the note, Mike!

Bob and Karen Smith are doing well, considering they both got COVID-19 on a cruise. Many thanks to Bob for crafting Wayne Newman’s After Taps article!

Bruce and Peggy Pence’s (Roanoke, Virginia) Christmas greeting includes enjoyment of their

7-month-old twins. That will be a handful—but a pleasant handful—congrats!

All is well with Tom (Tex) and Patti Mascot (Litchfield Park, Arizona). Daughter Liz is in D.C. with Walmart’s public policy office. In July, daughter Becca transferred from D.C. to the Consulate in Istanbul for a two-year tour. Tom is honing his golf game for a four-peat at the reunion. We’ll see.

The lake-living Hall and Martha Brodie (Lexington, South Carolina) say they stay “retired” busy with volunteer work, visiting kids and grandkid, and travel trips. They both love to cook, so that worked well for their holiday season. Lots of trips—out West, California coast, Louisiana, South Carolina coast, Richmond, Charlotte ... and living at the lake. No slowing down there. I

Snookie Parker

Class of 1974: Attending Rich Hillard’s memorial service are (from left) Kent Wheeless, Doug Higginbotham, and Chuck Cayton.

Class of 1974: Craig “Snapper” Carlock, Bobby Cunningham, and Joe Gesker ’66 attend the VMI Keydet Club Swim and Dive Reunion in January 2024.

Class notes

got tired of reading about all of the adventures. Sounds like their retirement is work, but really good work!

More good news on Roland Lazenby and his latest book, “Magic.” The New York Times Book Review put the review of “Magic” on the cover of their Dec. 24 print issue. Kudos across the board for another successful adventure—the culmination of some disciplined, hard literary work. Way to go, Laz!

John and Tracey Crawley have had a truly eventful and rewarding year. Six weeks in Berlin, Germany, to visit their second grandchild Penelope “Penny” Abigale Sander, a medical mission near Nairobi, Kenya, and a Christmas visit to the Biltmore. Their local ministry work continues: On the Family Life team for the Williamsburg Weekend to Remember, mentoring married couples, and providing tutoring services in three schools and at a GED center via their nonprofit, newsomebailey.org. In fact, the nonprofit was added to the Virginia School Board Association’s Business Honor Roll in 2022 for its past 12 years of work with underserved children. It’s an honor and privilege to serve and keep on serving. Well done, John and Tracey!

Spoke with Kent Wheeless in mid-December. Kent and Brenda are doing well. Kent continues to coach and referee girls’ volleyball, with a championship last season and a runner-up most recently to a team whose star player was coached by Kent seasons earlier. Kent says his team this season was young and will be back next season, so he thinks they will be “loaded for bear!” Brenda, who has been trying to retire, retire for years now is still working—fewer hours and some of it from home. Maybe one of these days, she will retire, retire. Kent attended Rich Hillard’s memorial service along with Chuck Cayton, Frank Richardson, Mark Prentice, John Crawley, and Doug Higginbotham. Kent mentioned it was good to see Doug Higginbotham there, an F Company rat who I think roomed with Bob Benninger, Bob Frank, and Tom Parker. Perhaps we’ll see this rat room reunion at our 50th!

Once again, Ken and Betsy Terry provided the Terry Christmas epistle, which was priceless. Two pages of pets, kids, trips, and events made

for some great entertainment. One of the best moments was Ken salmon fishing in Alaska next to a local bubba who hooked a fish that ended up swimming between Ken’s legs. The bubba pulled hard on his rod, trying to reel in his catch, resulting in Ken doing a backflip in the water where his waders filled with some very cold water. Betsy, the ultimate beach girl, was missing something in her life after the sale of their North Carolina property. In March, after some begging and star alignment, the Terrys are back in business with a beach house. After all, even a bad day at the beach beats a

good day anywhere else!

Mike and Lera Andriani sent Christmas greetings from Alexandria, Virgina. Lera is transitioning to part-time and stays active with her Bible study group. Mike has taken up swimming (versus running—easier on the knees) and swims 2,500 meters a week. Son Mike has transitioned from big Army to work base logistics support ops at Tinker AFB. Both big Mike and son Mike stay very active in the Catholic Church—The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher and the Constantinian Order of St. George for big Mike and Knight Commander in the Order of the Holy Sepulcher for son Mike. Thanks for the note and card, Mike!

Jim Garten reports the purchase of e-bikes for him and Robin. Jim says they look like motorcycles—noting his Harley and Triumph days are long gone. Tops in at 30 mph with a range of 90 miles before a recharge “head out on the highway, looking for adventure, and whatever comes our way ...” The only problem is there is no motorcycle sound—a senior easy rider!

Bob and Pam Johnson write from Hendersonville, North Carolina. It has been a travel year for the Johnsons with trips to D.C., Spain, and Italy: Madrid, Valencia, Portofino, Corsica, and Barcelona; then, by train to Florence, Milan, and the Swiss Alps. Pam is retired and enjoys reading, sewing, bridge, and lunch with friends; Bob supports the local VFW and provides presentations to civic clubs and the library. He was the keynote speaker for Memorial Day. Bob is also on the city board looking 20 years into the future and has been appointed to the city historic preservation commission.

Arnie and Maria Leonard (Wilmington, North Carolina) took an 11-day trip to the Galapagos Islands. Arnie is a landscape and nature photographer—a member of the Cape Fear Camera Club— so this was right up Arnie’s alley; Maria is training for the Battleship 5K. Their daughter, Sarah (husband Davis, Lettie and Davis), took a three-week trip to Argentina to climb Aconcagua (22,838 feet).

Received a nice card/note from John and Jamie Kaniss (Cleveland, Tennessee). A year of volunteering and traveling. John volunteers with

Class of 1974: Andy Eason attends the promotion ceremony of his son, U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Christopher A. Eason, a graduate of Oklahoma State University. Pictured are Eason; Brig. Gen. Christopher Eason; Becky Eason, and Marcie Eason.

Class of 1974: Frank Richardson, Kent Wheeless, Mark Prentice, Chuck Cayton, and John Crawley at Rich Hillard’s memorial service.

Habitat for Humanity, providing housing for deserving families and house modifications for seniors who request house modifications. Marla was the chairperson for Habitat here in Wilson, North Carolina, which means I’m volunteer labor for whatever the chair might need in a pinch. It’s a great volunteer adventure. Jaime volunteers with the Junior League of Chattanooga. They took a little RandR in Cabo San Lucas. Thanks for the note!

The most entertaining 26th annual Banning Christmas Gazette arrived just before Christmas, starring Charley “Buff Daddy” and Debbie “She Who Must Be Obeyed” (aka SWMBO) Banning. They survived some medical challenges— Buff Daddy’s excruciating pain from a paper cut for one and an MRI of his noggin, which the neurologist declared, “There’s nothing remarkable there!” SWMBO claimed, “That explains a lot.” Banning travels this year: Greece, Lake Maggiore (Italy/Switzerland, just west of Lake Como), Transylvania, and Hungary. Always entertaining—appreciate the note!

Received a nice “proud papa” note from Red Undercoffer. Red and Shelley are empty nesters in Lexington, Virginia, while all four of their kids are scattered, yet to be married but doing very well career-wise. Andrew, a mechanical and computer science engineer, works for a defense contractor supporting the Air Force in the panhandle of Florida. Brian is a Russian-speaking aeronautical engineer working in the computer center of the new 80-acre Dollar General compound in Chesapeake, Virginia. Dollar General is on a growth path with intent to rival Amazon. Cole is the VIP customer relations rep for Med Shipping Corp in Charleston, South Carolina. MSC is supposedly the largest shipping firm in the world. And daughter Caity is a White House Secret Service uniformed protective service officer serving on the special events team (state dinners, Christmas guided tours) and has been selected for special agent training next year. Proud papa, indeed!

After New Year’s, Marla and I met Rob and Joan Bacon for drinks at Margaritaville Jax Beach. Joan is retired, retired, and Rob has a little side hustle going on just to stay busy. They have been doing some traveling this year: A week in the Keys; drove to Kentucky; a week in Myrtle Beach with BR Mike and Linda Coleman; a western Caribbean cruise; a Sea Island, Georgia, visit; and something about an annual trip to Cabo, Mexico. They are traveling while they still can ... good strategy! The clock is ticking!

Walt and Karen Wilson have left the Old Puget Sound region of Washington State for the much

dryer Palm Desert, California, and have settled into a Villages-like 55-plus neighborhood. So much to do—golf league, cards, watercolors, art club, pickleball... and the list goes on. Life is so good!

George and Anna Van Laethem are in their 28th year in Chesapeake, and full retirement has afforded them time to travel—Williamsburg, Virginia Beach, Outer Banks, Myrtle Beach, and Christmas in Belmont, North Carolina, with family: Daughter Ashley, husband Alan, and grandkids, Trip and Amelia.

Mark and Michelle Prentice sent Christmas greetings from Williamsburg, Virginia. It has been a festival and concert year for the Prentices: Lee Greenwood, Sara Evans, and Mac McAnally to name a few … all favorites of Marla, especially Mac McAnally. There is a back story there—later. They did make their annual family trek to Virginia Beach ... any sign of Bill Deal and the Rhondels? The Rhondels are still around; Marla and I saw them in Myrtle Beach in August!

Bob and Jeanne Slupik are still holding court in Canyon Lake, Texas. Their two pups run the show. Jeanne’s dad turns 100 and is still making jewelry. Hard freezes and drought have wreaked havoc on the garden. Boards, clubs, guild, local politics, and a brunch bunch keep them busy!

Received Mike, Janet, and Sharon Stark’s Christmas highlights, along with their blessing. Mike is enjoying retirement, Janet’s garden is the best ever, and Sharon is self-employed and has started her own podcast. All is well in Platte City, Missouri!

Received the Trinkle holiday news-a-gram just after Christmas. Gary reports receiving his third hip replacement this year. I realize he only has two hips ... and he does, too. Alison is sporting her new walking stick these days. They did take a nine-day jaunt to Iceland, which included “the Ring Road” tour by minibus. They also made it to the Outer Banks for Thanksgiving, their tradition. Finally, Alison, a part-timer, is seriously considering retiring this coming year.

Pete and Susan Shelley claim they have the most adorable three granddaughters of all time. Biased, I’m sure. I think all grandparents tend to think that way. They did get to relax for a week at John and Suzanne Pate’s paradisiacal condo in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; however, they did have a run-in with the TSA agent who confiscated six small bottles of hot sauce bought in the duty-free shop in the PV airport. Clearly, more than the sauce was hot! They do spend about 50% of their time at the OBX and tend to welcome visitors. I’m on my way!

Received a nice little Christmas epistle from Wilson and Anne Johnson. They are blessed to have both kids close—son Matthew and wife Sarah and daughter Catherine, Mat, and kids Evelyn (7) and Elijah (5) are all in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Matthew and Sarah work from home and are active in the local theater. Wilson continues with his theatrical pursuits—four plays this year and will be playing Boolie Werthan, Daisy’s son, in “Driving Miss Daisy” in March. They did do some traveling this year, highlighted by two games at Fenway, a trip to Japan, and to the Ark in Kentucky.

Al and Judy Rasper’s Christmas card finally arrived chock-full of family news. Had 11 for Thanksgiving, then headed to northern Italy to enjoy Italian hospitality, scenic skiing, and fellowship with 40 friends! By the way, they spent February/March 2023 at Sun Valley, Jackson Hole, and Big Sky, reporting that sunny days were limited, but the snow was plentiful. A river cruise in August on the Danube from Vienna to Bucharest with an extension to Transylvania to have some local wine while discussing the likes of Dracula— Vlad III. The highlight of the year was family time and grandparenting for Geneva (4) and Evan (1). Thanks for the note, Al!

Bobby Cunningham sent a pic of the Jan. 26–27 VMI swim and dive team reunion. Craig Carlock is in a yellow sweater on the far left. That is Capt. Joe Gesker ’66, a TAC officer while we were cadets, in front of Craig. Jon Leon ’73 is in the front ranks in VMI red, and Bart Pasco is in the center of the picture back row in a cowboy hat. This was a dinner/reception held in Moody Hall Friday, followed by a tour of the new Aquatic Center and a swim meet against W&L on Saturday. The Generals squeaked by the Keydets by only 7 points, winning the last relay race.

Hall Brodie is now a card-carrying member of the Palmetto Chapter Old Corps lunch bunch of the South Carolina Midlands. The January gathering featured the following attendees: Lou Lahendro ’65, Chris Eversmann ’83, Hall Brodie, Mike Talley ’66, Doug Marks ’69, Steve Smith ’73, and John Cobb ’72. Hopefully, the pic submitted has enough pixel strength for publication!

Christmas cards received—thanks! Charlie and Tommie Toler (Hernando Beach, Florida), David and Jan Lester (Midlothian, Virginia), Terrell and Sarah Williams (Richmond, Virginia), Ricky and Page Kastelberg (Richmond, Virginia), Steve and Pat Orr (Ijamsville, Maryland), Sam and Karen Powell (Burlington, North Carolina), Robert Cunningham and Olena (Knoxville, Tennessee), Randy and Martha Gleason (Salem, Virginia), Mike

and Clay Morrissett (Roanoke, Virginia), Rob “Kid” and Vivian Fulks (Sugar Land, Texas), Russ and Mary Stuart Harlow (Lexington, Virginia), Bill and Pam Shumate (Stafford, Virginia), Lane and Karin Toomey (Southern Pines, North Carolina), Buck and Loretta Buchanan (Newnan, Georgia), Jack and Sandra Karns (Greenville, North Carolina), John and Irene McLaren (Chesapeake, Virginia), Chip and Cathy Beaman (Chesapeake, Virginia), Bruce and Sue Jones (Richmond, Virginia), Mike Cole (Carlisle, Pennsylvania), Glenn and Grace Greene (Mechanicsville, Virginia), Bill and Judy Candler (Port Byron, Illinois), Andy and Pat Young (Wilmington, North Carolina), Steve and Carol Weaver (Monroe, Washington), Chuck and Louise Ward (Charlottesville, Virginia), Jim and Robin Garten (Oro Valley, Arizona), Kent and Brenda Wheeless (Rocky Mount, North Carolina), Ed and Jamie Blake (Kilmarnock, Virginia), Steve Fisher (Oakland Park, Florida), Frank and Jeanee Richardson (Newport News, Virginia), Charlie and Linda Gardner (Alexandria, Virginia), Bert and Cherryl Graham (Berwyn, Pennsylvania), Russ and Cheryl Takata (Waipahu, Hawaii), Mel and Vicki Clark (Ferrum, Virginia), Jeff Huckabee and Kathy (West Chester, Pennsylvania), Bailey and Doree Hurley (Ellisville, Missourri), Bill and Deb McDonald (Arlington, Virginia), Paul and Rose Van Doren (Winchester, Virginia), Bob and Lisa Braren (Marco Island, Florida), Pat and Sue Flynn (St. Augustine Beach, Florida), J.W. and Pam Simms (Midlothian, Virginia), Tony and Peggi Maietta (Stateline, Pennsylvania), Rich and Ann Forbes (Nashville, Tennessee), Dallas Norman (Ochlocknee, Georgia), T.J. and Kerri Wilson (Harrisonburg, Virginia), Craig and Cathy Carlock (Lexington, Virginia), and Kevin and Cindy Nettrour (Mascoutah, Illinois).

Class Contacts: snookieparker1974@earthlink. net. Charley Banning cbanning@cox.net. Send me a note.

Yada, yada, yada and yaba daba dooooo!

1975

Thomas Mason

In the Bonds, Snookie Brothers, Sisters, and Casual Readers,

By the time you receive and read this episode of class drama, the 2024 Super Bowl (yawn) will have taken place in Las Vegas; the Men’s Cricket Series will have taken place (marginally interesting) in New Zealand; the Daytona 500 NASCAR wrecks will be over; March Madness will have been settled; the Six Nations Rugby Tournament (always exciting) will have been played; the Masters golf tournament will have been driven, chipped, and putted at the Cathedral of Pines in Augusta; MLB season will be well underway; and the Kentucky Derby run for the roses will have been ridden. It is January and 14 degrees outdoors; I anxiously await a verdant spring!

This pamphlet contains your news from mid-November 2023 to mid-February 2024. Off we go! Basketball season has been a challenge with frightfully strong Southern Conference competition for a very young team. This sideline observer only hopes the players stay and gain experience; one cannot say enough about the transfer portal. Several BRs have attended all or many of the home games. Scott Risser, Steve Chapin, Art Nunn, and Allen Morgan have patiently watched the team play and develop.

The year-end holidays presented many greetings and a cornucopia of news. A first-time note from John Bangs stated he has resided just outside of the Twin Cities in Maple Grove, Minnesota, since 1992. John is retired from BAE Systems, and he and his wife, Dorothy, enjoy time with all four of their children and their seven grandkids,

who all live in the area. John and Dorothy have set aside travel due to babysitting duties and the many school events of the children. John provided an update on Ian Kanner and Jim Seitz.

The holiday card season sparked memories of my two dykes, Pete Dillon ’78 and Jay Nichols ’78, so, I sent each of them a cheerful, newsy greeting. I was rewarded with a lengthy letter postmarked from Fairbanks, Alaska, where Pete and his wife were visiting their son, Dr. Peter Dillon, and his family. We hope to meet in the near future and reminisce over a schooner of grog.

The always cheerful greeting, with photos proudly displaying the grandchildren and pets, came in from Sam and Robin Moultrie. Thank you, Sam!

A small card with a big note from Charlie Hoon informed of the installation of another cardiac stent, disappointment over the statue removal from Arlington National Cemetery, and an early January waterfowl hunting trip with Mike Hunter

John and Lori Prior enthusiastically reminded me of the Europe, Montana, and South Carolina trips taken this past year!

Salvo and Karen Lape checked in from Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Evidence from Nat and Nancy Hamner’s photo card shows that, in 2023, they either gained a daughter or son-in-law, a grandchild, or some combination of the above. No captions or details were provided.

The annual merry Christmas letter from Jim and Nancy McCriskin summarized the ups and

Class of 1975: Members of the 50th Reunion Gift Campaign Committee gathering on the balcony of Moody Hall in February 2024 are (from left) Chip Louthan, Rich McFarland, John L. Young III, Bob O’Connor, Vic Arthur, Glenn Garland, Tom Mason, Bill Terpeluk, Harry McKnight, Gibson Houser, Rick Hening, and Bernie Cobb.

downs of their 2023, updates on their son and daughter and their spouses and grandchildren, travel (Las Vegas, London, Portsmouth, Normandy coast, and Charleston) with BRs, and football versus The Citadel.

Always welcome is the annual offering from Glenn Garland. The imaginative homemade card was filled with Glenn’s poetic version of “The Night Before Christmas,” VMI decals, and fond memories of our travels together in 2023! A nice photo of Glenn and Rick Hening attending the VMI versus Duke University lacrosse scrimmage in Durham, North Carolina, this past January accompanies this article.

Al and Sandy Morgan enclosed a delightful photo card with descriptions of their son and daughter-inlaw; daughter, Blaire; and the grandbabies all together in Evanston, Illinois.

Bill and Barbara Fowlkes sent greetings from Eureka, Missouri.

Warm wishes were heaped upon me from Ellett and Fran Smith.

Dr. Billy and Lee Hunter sent proud greetings and photos of (I lost count) an indeterminate number of grandchildren! I caught up with Billy and Lee just after their return from a charter fishing trip to the Amazon and before they headed back out West to their winter HQ in Colorado. Their group of nine couples spent 10 days with the Trek Safaris outfitter and went after the peacock bass, a hard-fighting game fish that produces excellent surface action when hooked. Also caught were piranha on this catch-and-release adventure on the Rio Negro (a major tributary of the Amazon River). Other highlights of this trip included visits to indigenous villages where only the local populace can keep the fish they catch. Beforehand, I mistakenly feared the Hunters might return with a caiman, giant otter, capybara, or jaguar ...

A very special and personal greeting and message were received from Felix Wolkowitz; thank you, sir. It

Class of 1975: Attending the celebration of life service for Mike Woodward are (from left) Rick Hening, Rich McFarland, Phil Wilkerson ’72, Scott Risser, Ron Norman, Edwin Little ’78, and Greg Wigglesworth.

Class of 1975: Gathering at the home of Lowrie Tucker Jan. 20, 2024, are (from left) Mike Hunter, Rob Taylor, Steve Chapin, Al Morgan, Scott Risser, Lowrie, and Art Nunn.

Class of 1975: Attending the VMI lacrosse scrimmage with Duke University and Marquette University Jan. 27, 2024, in Durham, North Carolina, are (from left) Glenn Garland; Rex Wiggins ’78; Rick Hening; Mike Freeman ’78; and David McDonald, father of Cadet Luke McDonald ’24.

seems an eighth grandchild, a son, arrived in early February; Felix almost has a baseball team now!

Harley and Nancy Myler sent cordial seaside greetings from Wilmington, North Carolina.

I’ve refrained, so far, from deluging social media with pictures of my little girl, Lexi. I truly love getting pictures of your pets in the cards and notes you send. Please keep it up!

Thank you, Bob and Paulette Keller, for the charming photos of your furry family, Dani, Sprite, and Maggie May!

Judy Baur’s (Mrs. Thomas S. Baur) card and note expressed her quest for more fun in 2024 with the Pond House Group. In late January, Judy texted the Pond House Group with news from the first week of her three-week trip to Vietnam. She was in the northern part of the country in Hanoi, preparing to spend another day or two aboard a touring junk before flying south to Hue. Her second dispatch, from Hue, spoke of stone temples, pagodas, Buddist nuns, delicious food, and salt coffee. Mrs. Baur stated she had a difficult time biting her tongue at the “silent” meditation lunch the group enjoyed one day. After leaving Hue, Judy’s group flew to Hoi An, and from there, they bussed to beautiful Nha Trang and made a perilous visit to the huge local marketplace where she feared she’d gotten lost and separated from her group. The beach hotel at Nha Trang was quite lovely, and the Lunar New Year luncheon was days long in preparation of feasting. Judy remarked she is eating some “quite different” items on this adventure! Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) is where the travel party visited last. Judy spoke of visiting NVA tunnels, pagodas, mausoleums, markets, and a tour boat in the Mekong Delta. She met with elderly veterans of both the South and North Vietnamese armies and learned of their dismay, confusion, and pain of that long-ago war. The trip was at

Class notes

once educational, revealing, humbling, and cathartic. The lady has traveling moxie to which your scribe only aspires!

Bill and Michelle Puttmann journeyed to the United Kingdom over Christmas and the New Year. They were joined by all of their children, membership with which I’m unfamiliar, visited NATO friends in Scotland, and traveled about England.

Charlie and Kat Collins expressed merry Noel and hearkened back to the Appalachian Trail adventure of 2023 and expressed gratitude over how it was chronicled.

Making a humorous comparison to the number of Christmas cards he sent (16) compared to the typical class agent, Bernie Cobb sent hand-cramped and hearty best wishes!

I talk with Guy Conte frequently, and just prior to casting away for a 17-day cruise to South America, he shared notes about the New Year’s Eve visit he and Mary had with Bill and Natasha Kobus and, a few days later, with Kimo and Shelley Wong. The Conte cruise included stops in Panama while passing through the Big Dig, two berthings in Colombia, two dockings in Peru, and three anchorages in Chile.

At long last, Mr. Michael K. Wong has officially retired from the AFBA and is a full-time resident of Parkland, Florida. He’s had a difficult time parting with his beeper but is now working on his golf game. He and Shelley have plans in 2024 to travel to Paris in February and Vietnam later this year. One can only hope visits to Virginia will continue to be included!

Barry and Tigger Hughes year-end letter spoke of travel to D.C. and Mexico City for museums, culture, relics, and archaic ruins (there’s a D.C. pun in there somewhere), family reunions with both the Hughes and Buchanan clans, and Little League baseball where Barry has gained a reputation as a fair, no-nonsense umpire in the greater Seattle suburbs. Their year was tinged with the sad passing of Tigger’s mom (Mrs. William J. Buchanan ’50B) in November.

John and Cathy Maples sent a charming card with photos of their handsome family, including their Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Jack!

John Maples attended the wake for Mike “Woody,” or “Bear” Woodward Dec. 19, 2023. The next day, Scott Risser, Gregg Wigglesworth, Rich “Maco” McFarland, and Ronnie Norman attended the packed memorial service in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Class travel agent, planner, organizer, and

field guide, Len Reidel, sent a gracious message of support.

Clearly a two-person card effort, Tom and Peggy Jones teamed up to produce a clever card and envelope combination.

Another welcome first-time reconnecting memo came in from Fred Martin in Ashland, Virginia. In summary, Fred and JoAnn have enjoyed 42 years together. He left the corporate world in 1981 and worked in a production cabinet operation. In 1992, he put his love of woodworking to the test and started his own high-end, custom cabinetmaking shop, which he ran for 27 years before selling the business in 2019. He now pastors a small church in the Ashland area. The Martins sired six children and now enjoy a clutch of 23 “grandchicks!” There you have it, 49 years in four sentences ... Cheery greetings from Greg and Kathleen Stultz.

Marty Matlaga sent greetings.

The sharp and distinctive card from the many folks who support us at the VMI Alumni Agencies was signed by no fewer than 42 people!

Lowrie and Kathy Tucker sent a stately greeting. The Tuckers entertained a retinue of visitors on a January Saturday after the VMI versus The Citadel basketball game. Attending were Mike and Sloane Hunter, Al, Sandy and Blaire Morgan, Art and Judy Nunn, Scott and Barb Risser, Steve and Sherry Chapin, and Rob and Sandy Taylor. I know Kathy Tucker to be an excellent chef, but I know not what gustatory delights she served that evening. Note the photo of the gents!

Joyful regards from Charlie Freeman arrived from Memphis!

Scott and Barbara Risser’s annual Christmas

missive recapped the class trip to Europe last May, their work as docents at the Stonewall Jackson House in Lexington, volunteering at their church, and leadership of the Rockbridge Chapter of the VMI Alumni Association. They look forward to another extended trip in November, cruising the Mediterranean from Rome, Athens, and Budapest with many of the same classmates.

Jim Turpin and Susan Prokop’s photo card appeared to display extensive European travel to sites I did not recognize. Luna, their kitty, struck a nice pose!

Ken and Luanne Gerard sent a nice “all right” message noting community outreach (not the possibly suspect community service), pickleball, and other retirement activities that fill their time in greater Cincinnati.

Dave Creech checked in via email with the news he and his wife have settled into a home in Pahrump, Nevada (that’s oceanfront, is it not?), after seven years of RV living.

Phil Minez was with us for one full year. After leaving VMI, he evidently did quite well in the military, retiring as a lieutenant colonel. Phil lives just up the road from Lexington in Staunton, Virginia. I hope he will attend our 50th Reunion since travel distance won’t be an impediment.

Rick and Stella Davison’s photocard appears to show them aboard a ship off the coast of New Zealand.

Warm wishes from a man on the mend came in from Larry Groome and wife Fran!

Richard Mines happily chimed in that after nine rounds of chemotherapy, he was able to spend Christmas at home. He and his wife completed a 5K road race in Brunswick, Georgia, Jan. 27! Good on ya, Rich!

Mike and Theresa Mulligan checked in with responses to queries I’d made to him earlier. I enjoy the way Mike signs off as M2!

Doug and Linda Dunlap checked in with a cheerful greeting and heartfelt offer to assist with BR outreach as our 50th Reunion grows closer.

It’s unusual to receive a lengthy handwritten letter delivered by the USPS. Cary Bradley sent just such a missive highlighting his and Marilyn’s busy life taxiing seven grandchildren about greater Atlanta. Soccer, baseball, and softball are all the rage at these kids’ ages. Soon, lacrosse and basketball may be in vogue. Cary’s dad, Harvey Bradley ’49B, is now 96 and obviously one of our most senior alumni.

A two-page, small font, life-summarizing annual term paper was filed by Bob and Jan O’Conner. In recapping their recap, they and extended

Class of 1975: Pictured celebrating New Year’s Eve in Florida are (from left) Guy Conte, Mary Conte, Natasha Kobus, and Bill Kobus.

family had a busy and satisfying 2023!

It’s always pleasing to see pictures of proud parents and their progeny and the grandbabies displayed in their holiday raiment! Mike and Sloane Hunter delivered just that! Thank you!

Tony and Teresa Farry’s greeting informed of their move to Leesburg, Virginia. The new home is advertised as having room for visitors.

Steve and Sherry Chapin have closed on a charming house within the City of Lexington as their permanent residence. They will stay in the rental house until all renovations are completed and should be moved in by the time this essay issues in May.

Art and Judy Nunn sent warm holiday wishes to Lexi and me and expressed hope and expectation for more hijinks with the Pond House Group in 2024!

Mackie Schiflett has had his book, “Son of Enoch: The Last Prophet,” published. See Barnes & Noble or Amazon to acquire a copy. Mackie has emerged from the abyss of loss and has entered into a relationship with a lady named Charolette. Plans call for a March cruise; travel to Pensacola, Florida, to see friends; Mardi Gras in February; a trip to California to visit his son and family; and another cruise to the Mexican Riviera.

Feb. 8–9 found a group of classmates both in Lexington in-person and attending via Zoom, a 50th Reunion campaign training seminar was hosted by the VMI Alumni Association. John L. Young III, Vic Arthur, Bill Terpeluk, Rick Hening, Bob O’Conner, Glenn Garland, Gibson Houser, Chip Louthan, Bernie Cobb, Rich McFarland, Harry McKnight, and I attended in person while John Amatetti, Tom Jones, Larry LaMonte, Tad MacGowan, John Plunkett, Greg Stultz, John Bangs, Vern Conner, Jim Hobbs, Keith Frey, Dan Heiken, Randy Frank, Ron Norman, Salvo Lape, Charlie Freeman, and Bob Holby participated through the magic of technology. The session was valuable and the speakers were interesting and competent in their subject knowledge and delivery.

Lee Stewart is another BR who spent one year with us at VMI yet continues to stay in touch, writing cards and responding to emails. Here’s to hope for interest in our 50th gathering next year!

Oliver and Bonnie Way enjoyed an action-packed year chocked full of travel and adventure, much of it chronicled previously in this anthology. These friends cherish their pup, Rebel II, their children, and their grandchildren, all of whom are a blessing and delight!

I do most of my venting to a very small cadre of

classmates. Art Sigsbury receives the lion’s share of the bilious gas I expel each month. His counsel is at once humorous and therapeutic ... I remain grateful to the long and patient friendships.

John Soukup has decidedly demonstrated he has nothing to add to this edition.

Humbly and stubbornly, I remain,

Never above you, never below you, always beside you ...

Your friend, BR, and Notary, Thomas A. Mason

1976

William Bhatta

Brother Rats,

While I edit our class notes, I am listening to “you’re on hold” music. People are trying to figure out why Michelle cannot update her personal data so a new military ID card can be issued to her, and why Amazon keeps sending me a queen-sized Tuft & Needle mattress after I ordered a king-sized mattress. Constant “you’re on hold” music, punctuated with an occasional, “I need to transfer you to ...” So, before I go nuts, here are the final class notes for Feb. 15, 2024:

Kevin Pardus is very involved with STEM and robotic-based programs. Last year, he was a judge at the FIRST World Championship Robotics Competition in Houston, Texas. He was also a judge at the 2023 FIRST Global Challenge in Singapore where 191 nations participated. (From the Internet: “Founded in 1989 by inventor Dean Kamen, FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is a global nonprofit (501(c)(3)) organization that prepares young people for the future through a suite of inclusive, teambased robotics programs for ages 4-18 (pre-K-12). Our programs are suitable for schools or structured afterschool activities and receive support from a vast network of volunteers, educators, and sponsors/donors, including over 200 Fortune 500 companies.” This year, Kevin plans to cut back on his involvement and do some traveling with his wife, Hye Cha, to Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. His youngest daughter transferred from Singapore to Brussels along with her husband. They both work for different international companies in different fields. His oldest daughter still lives in Long Island with her husband and two grandchildren.

J.R. Mott will be retired from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, by the time you read these notes. His last day in the civil servant seat is April 4, then he rides terminal leave until his official retirement date. Along with retirement, John and Mei will be moving into their own house, relatively close to where they rented in West Springfield, Virginia. Mei continues working at their local middle school. Yvonne is in eighth grade, enjoys school, and plays tennis. Renee is in sixth grade, loves anything STEM, and plays lacrosse. Both girls are Girl Scouts and play the violin.

Jim and Tish Dittrich are doing well in Arkansas. Tish manages a medical group of companies in Little Rock, Arkansas, but it looks like she will retire next year. Jim said, “Which gives me time to figure out how to avoid the coming deluge of honey dos.” (I have been working on that *^$# list for years!) Their son, Addison, continues to work for the state of Colorado in HR. Taylor is opening a series of restaurants at the DoubleTree Inn in Breckenridge, Colorado. I will be heading there in a few weeks and plan to check it out—the 9600 Grill and Restaurant. Jim said, “I am told he makes a great schnitzel!” Their daughter, Chelsea, is teaching eighth grade in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Bill and Kathy Ryals checked in. This past summer, the Ryals family traveled to Colorado Springs, Colorado, to visit family and do some tourism. One night, they were able to have supper with Ares Koumis and his family. Bill said, “Ares looks better now than when he was a cadet.”

Dave Lowe officially retired from the Architect of the Capitol but has done consulting work on the side. He is currently working for the FAA, their representative on the ground, during the removal of the airport tower at Key West International Airport. Dave and Caroline’s son is 12 years old and keeps them busy; he plays hockey at different venues along the East Coast.

Congratulations to Ron LaGrone! He is engaged to Ms. Pille Pesti and now lives mostly in Tallinn, Estonia. The wedding date has not been announced as of these notes.

Pete and Mary Ann Friesen are both retired now but working part-time. So there is plenty of time for their hobbies, volunteering, and traveling. They were able to go on a pilgrimage through France, Spain, and Portugal. Pete participated in the evening ceremony at Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal, a unique experience for him. (From the Internet: “The story of the Our Lady of Fatima miracle begins May 13, 1917. Three peasant children, Francisco, Jacinta, and Lucia, were tending to their

Class notes

family’s sheep. The children under 10 years old were blessed with the presence of the Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus. In Portugal, she is also known as Fatima.”)

Ted and Melanie Mouras completed a cruise around the southern tip of South America last year. They started in Buenos Aires, Argentina; sailed down the east coast; around Cape Horn; up along the Chilean coast; and then disembarked at Valparaiso, Chile.

During the trip, Ted said, “The COVID-19 we acquired, courtesy of a coughing cruise passenger who sounded like he’d give up a lung later that day, haunted us after we got home but fortunately did not affect the cruise.” When they are not traveling, Ted and Melanie stay busy with their hobbies, home repairs, and occasional visits from friends and family.

Grigg and Cindy Mullen are doing well in Lexington. They stay busy with timber-framing projects. Last spring, 120 participants built a shelter for the Rockbridge Area Recreation Organization, and last October, the timber frame project supported Lexington’s Project Horizon’s annual Deck the Halls Gala fundraiser at VMI’s Marshall Hall in December. Mr. Dickie, Grigg’s second wooded boat, is finished at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in Saint Michaels, Maryland. Cindy said, “He got over to the Eastern Shore as often as he could to help the museum staff on the boat. He was in Maryland so much that it was quite an adjustment to have him back home!” Their son, Andrew, and his wife, Melissa, moved into a new home in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Grigg III and his wife, Accacia, now work from home out of their own shops in Rockbridge Baths, Virginia.

An update from Ray Brooks from the January BR fellowship and prayer meeting—I will call it the BR “get well” minute. Keep the following BRs in your thoughts and prayers: Marshall Coyle is rehabbing following hip surgery. Allen McCarthy is recovering from back surgery.

Sad news to report. Chester L. Shaffer passed away Sept. 17, 2015. C.L.’s demise was discovered by Jim Dittrich, a former roommate. C.L.

was 61 years old. He lived in the Missoula, Montana, area. He was a master electrician and was survived by his wife and nine kids. I lived next to C.L. as a rat. One evening, I did something to irritate him, and I paid the price— using my bed straps, he hung me by my feet and arms from the transom in room 422. Many of you might remember when C.L. drove his car through Washington Arch one evening when we were 2nds. I watched the whole thing and could not believe my eyes! Here are other C.L. memories from BRs. J.R. Mott: “C.L. and I were roomies for a short term. C.L. was a very kind BR with a great sense of humor. He was also immensely strong, especially with his good arm. He had a damaged left, I think. I foolishly attempted to wrestle him, much to my demise. On the wrestling team, he was very successful against his Southern Conference opponents. He would wait for his opponent to get within arm’s reach, then do that boa constrictor thing. You may remember that during Ring Figure ceremony, C.L., as class president, was part of the presentation and called out everyone’s name by memory when presenting. I’ll never forget that. A truly

amazing, gracious, and talented BR.”

Andre Koneczny: “We are all moved by the news of C.L. Shaffer and pray for his wife and family! It is also sad that he did not stay in touch with a few guys from the class. I was in the same company as C.L. and roomed with Dexter [Gilliam] our rat year. He definitely lived on the edge, way past me. As the years pile up and class ranks dwindle over time, we are constantly reminded of our young days at VMI and how blessed we all are to have spent a short portion of our lives at the Institute!”

Tony Young: “Thanks for the C.L. notice. The email made me think how fortunate we are to be VMI rats. The experience of the Institute is lifelong. The bonds formed and lessons are of enormous value. Maybe other colleges have some alumni ties, but I consider ours almost military-deep. Our relationships are substantial. That is a blessing!”

Brian Puse: “So sorry to learn about the passing of C.L. He was a bit larger than life, and I seem to remember another ‘body’ hanging from their hay straps under a transom across the Old Courtyard from our room our 2nd Class year, too. I, too, have a vivid memory of his ‘spin’ around the Old Courtyard before crashing out. A couple of weeks before that happened, he’d invited me to go for a ride in his car (stashed in town) while he played his favorite cassette tape of ‘Muskrat Love’ over and over while we just rode around and talked. Prayers and blessing on his wife, kids, and her raising nine kids!”

Finally, here is a note to you from Teri Coleman: “Mere words on a card hardly seem adequate to express my deep appreciation for all the love and support you’ve shown my family and me during this difficult time. I thank all of you for your part in making John’s funeral so beautiful and so special. The flowers were gorgeous, and the stories told at the reception were priceless! John would have been humbled. My love for John and my appreciation for all of you will forever be in my heart. With tons of love, Teri.”

Class of 1976: Andre Koneczny celebrates his 70th birthday with his wife, Lois, and extended family.

Class of 1976: Grigg Mullen’s 36-foot Chesapeake Bay buyboat, a type of boat traditionally used for hauling oysters.

1977

Steve Kelly

Greetings, Super ’77!

It is late January as I write these notes. Winter and cold weather have come to Central North Carolina, necessitating keeping the wood stove burning. I am reminded by my heating and air friend that heat pumps do not work well in 15-degree weather. (I could have figured that one out!) Hope all of you are staying warm and that you had a great Christmas and New Year! We had a great month of December visiting with six of our grandkids, and that was awesome!

I received a note from Don Browder, who recently visited Thailand. Don had lunch and played golf with Brother Rats Yai Kasemsant and Doug Sebert and Gen. Somnuek of the Thai Army. Don described this as “survival training,” although I am not sure exactly how playing golf is survival training!

I also received a note from Rich and Dianne Howell, who have a new grandson out in California where Rich’s son, Lt. Col. Brennan Howell, commands the 9th Civil Engineer Squadron at Beale Air Force Base.

I received a nice note from Mike and Debbie Davis, who are retired and having fun with their grandchildren in Williamsburg, Virginia.

David Ralph is really involved with the speaker/DIY community and recently used his own updated software with new functionality to do a crossover theory study. This study has been published in the February edition of audioXpress, one of the premier electronics and speaker magazines worldwide.

Congratulations, Dave!

I received this note from John “Buster” Pace. Recently, at a VMI home basketball game, Billy Hupp and his brother, Steve Hupp ’84,

were awarded the highest level award for the Keydet Club, the Keydet Club Spirit of VMI Award. On hand for this event were a number of brother rats and spouses: John and Gail Pace, J.J. and Hope Marshall, Joe and Janice Santelli, Hobie and DeDe Andrews, Bruce and Sarah Cann, Jim and Candy Bentley, Buzzy and Ellen Northen, and Bland and Jane Massie. Billy’s wife, Diana, was also in attendance. Congratulations to the Hupp brothers for this prestigious award!

I received a note from Tim Thompson He and his Dragon Force karate team competed in the 2024 World Cup Open National Martial Arts Championships in Washington, D.C., Jan. 13–14.In spite of over 1,500 participants, the Dragon Force demo team won first place in the Demo Grand Championships, as well as 15 trophies and

medals in competition. In addition, Sensei Tim Thompson was awarded a Special World Cup Martial Arts Influencer Movers & Shakers Awards plaque. Congratulations, Sensei!

Plans are underway for the mini reunion and the Class of ’77 memorial golf tournament (formally “The Ralph”) Sept. 6–7 in Lexington. The golf tournament will be held Friday, and the mini/ football game/class social will take place Saturday. More information about these events will be forthcoming. Unfortunately, this is a reunion weekend, so please get your motel rooms booked early.

The Class of ’77 extends its condolences to Sue Hartley and family on the passing of her husband and our Brother Rat Randy Hartley Randy succumbed to cancer Dec. 29, 2023. The class was well represented at the celebration of life service held Jan. 17 at the St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church in Brandon, Florida. Those present were Kimber Latsha, Mark Abernathy, Tim Liles, Joe Santelli, and Ed Anderson Tim Liles paid tribute to Randy and his life, and Kimber Latsha later led the class in a ’77 Old Yell in Randy’s honor. The class provided a beautiful wreath in VMI colors. Randy will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery April 25, 2024. See the After Taps section for more information on the life of Randy Hartley.

The class also mustered a good turnout for the memorial service held Nov. 13, 2023, at the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Greensboro, North Carolina, for Steve Neas’ daughter, Katie Geise. Katie passed away from cancer Aug. 19, 2023. Those present were Steve Neas, Steve Kelly, Bob Atkinson, Chuck Conner, and Mike Parish. I also received word that our Brother Rat James Foster Jr. passed away in December in Portsmouth, Virginia.

I received a note from Chuck Floyd, who wanted us to know that he is recovering well from a hip transplant. The class also received a note from Becky Trimmer that our BR Glenn Trimmer is in memory care at Spring Arbor in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Becky said you can drop him a note at this

Class of 1977: Mike Parish, Steve Kelly, Steve Neas, Chuck Conner, and Bob Atkinson at the celebration of life service for Katie Geise, daughter of Steve Neas, in Greensboro, North Carolina, in November 2023.

Class of 1977: Kimber Latsha, Mark Abernathy, Tim Liles, Joe Santelli, and Ed Anderson at the celebration of life for Randy “Hart” Hartley in Brandon, Florida, in January 2024.

address: Glenn Trimmer, Room 409 Spring Arbor, The Cottage, 5308 River Rd., Fredericksburg, VA 22407.

Please keep all these families in your thoughts and prayers.

The next set of class notes is due in May. Please take time to send me an email and pictures to share your news with your brother rats. Please know I am working to get a good file of current email addresses. If you never receive an email or it goes to your old account, then please do two things—send me your updated/preferred email and also update the Alumni Association with that information. If you update the Alumni Association, then hopefully, you will get to see my smiling face wishing you a happy birthday when those days roll around. I hope to see everyone at the combined mini/’77 memorial golf tournament Sept. 6–7. Stay safe out there!

Tick

1978

Greetings, Brother Rats and Friends of the Class, As these notes are gathered, it is the depths of winter, and many of you have endured the ravages of Mother Nature. As you read them, it is spring, and you are enjoying the pleasantries of better weather. I hope all are well. I hope you all received your Christmas card. If you did not, it is likely that

your mailing information needs updating. To update your information, email me or Norma Robinson (Nrobinson@vmiaa.org). The same goes for your email address, as well. These are our primary means of keeping you updated on the class and information. With our 50th Reunion just over the horizon, we want to keep you informed.

I would like to acknowledge the kind Christmas greetings I received from many of you: Jim Mackin, Tim McGreer, Don McGinnis, Tim Pishdad, Ron Carter, Brion Smith, Ken Blythe, Paul Mitchell, Leonard Logan, Alec Earle, Clyde Long, Terry Dorn, Scott LaCagnin, and Dac Colden. Thank you very much.

And now the status reports from around the class:

Ed Little checked in with: “All right in Herndon, Virginia. Enjoying retirement!”

Jim Simons: “All right!”

Rob Traver: “Had an interesting trip to Uganda. Villanova students working with a local group to design and build a water reservoir with a solar pump and a couple of taps for a village in the bush. Incredible experience, and we are already working on the next project for another village. A humbling experience.”

Vagel Keller: “All right!”

Joe Cafarella: “I had knee replacement surgery in November and am recovering well. Ready to start golfing again. Otherwise, all is well in Ohio.”

Dac Colden: “Checking in from Indianapolis. No BR sightings in these parts. I do get together with my roomie, Andy Marshall, several times a year. Usually related to hunting.”

Terry Dorn: “All is well on this end. Retirement is good. In December, before it got too cold, we met up with Rex Wiggins in Clayton, North Carolina, for a 28-mile bike ride and lunch. If you ever thought that Rex was fast on his feet, you should see him on a bike! Good times, and we look forward to doing it again.”

Rick Wetherill: “All right!”

Bob Fricke: “All right in Colorado Springs. I’m involved in planning an alumni fishing trip in Hartsel Ranch, Colorado. By the time this goes to print, it may already be booked, but check with me or the Alumni Association for this or other fly fishing opportunities in Colorado. Also, I have a spot for a BR looking to go on a wild boar hunt in Texas in October. I’m enjoying hunting, fishing, golf, and single malt scotch, in moderation, in my retirement.”

Tom Sliwoski: “All right in Williamsburg. Getting ready for a cruise to the Panama Canal. Then, in June, we’re off on a Danube River cruise, and

in September, we’re heading on one more to New England and Canada. Starting our planning for 2025. In November, Dave Gray, Pete Manoso and Cathy, and myself met Tim and Cynthia Pishdad for dinner in Hampton. A few weeks later, Nelson Curtis and I met Dave Gray for breakfast.

Pete Manoso: “All OK in Newport News, Virginia. By the time you read this, we will be grandparents again for the third time—three granddaughters.”

Mark Seely: “Very, very wet, but our heads are still above water, and we’re ‘all right’ on the West Coast. Traveling quite a bit and escaping the crappy San Francisco Bay Area winter weather whenever we can.”

Rob Parker: “Good fun at the reunion. I’m back in Saudi Arabia working on the NEOM Project, a new futuristic autonomous city on the Red Sea. It’s an incredibly beautiful part of the world. All settled in the new home built on Daufuskie Island, South Carolina, on the Georgia border. Carolyn is holding down the fort. Retiring soon so I can enjoy some great fishing, golf, and shrimp ’n grits.”

John Tucker: “All right in Columbus, Ohio. Continuing to enjoy retirement and grandkids!”

Mark Lambert: “All right in St. Charles, Illinois. Great seeing everyone at the reunion; not enough time to catch up with everyone, though. The trip was also a wonderful reminder of how beautiful the Lexington, Virginia, area is, and how lucky we all are to have experienced VMI together when we did.”

Danny Thornton: “I have spent quite a bit of time at the Institute over the past year as I attempt to fulfill various volunteer duties there. Let it be known the ‘I’ is alive and well and producing

Class of 1977: Thai Army Gen. Somnuek, Don Browder, Yai Kasemsant, and Doug Sebert in Bangkok, Thailand.

Tom Brown

Class of 1978: The license plate on Chris Stone’s car.

tremendous young men and women of high character and intellect. I wish everyone in our class could sit down with a few of these cadets and see firsthand their commitment to the honor system and the class structure. It would make you proud!”

Mark Lowe: “All right here! We had a wonderful visit with our granddaughter in Germany for her first Christmas. She was not spoiled one bit. Everyone else is doing well. Regards to all.”

Steve Powers: “‘All right’ in New Hampshire! Retired from my retirement jobs and settling in with volunteering with Hillsborough Meals on Wheels. Besides my folks having many years serving Meals on Wheels in Lynchburg, Virginia, my last security position was at a methadone clinic next door to their old headquarters. I got to know the administrators, drivers, and volunteers. So when they moved to their new ‘digs,’ I told myself to ... be a part of an organization helping fellow residents of Manchester, New Hampshire, and continue carrying the torch my mom and dad carried for years!”

Tim Berkhimer: “All right, sir, from Virginia Beach. Recently learned I am going to be joining the grandad ranks in August. Awesome phone call from my youngest.”

Bruce Kay: “All is well here.”

Dave Colonna: “Doing pretty well. I’m retired since Dec 31, 2023, and decided to have some surgery four days after, but I’m doing well. No complaints. I feel very fortunate.”

Dave Mecredy: “We are enjoying the Minnesota winter that wasn’t. No snow and temperatures well above normal. No complaints here. I continue to work part-time with Digi International, writing work procedures and instructions. After the reunion, we headed to Augusta, Georgia, to visit my parents (Jim ’52) and my brother (Tim ’80) and his wife. There, we picked up a trailer full of household items from my parents’ home and enjoyed good weather on the drive back to Minnesota.”

Nelson Curtis: “All right. Great to see all at reunion. Especially my roommates Glen Jones, Lenny Logan, and Rick Wolffe.”

Jim Mackin: “All is well here in Eastern North Carolina. Regina and I spent a week in Islamorada, Florida, at the end of January into February to escape the ‘cold’ temps in the OBX. It was nice to see sun and sand!”

Joe Bright: “Status, all right. Still

instructing at Breeze Airways training center, teaching new hires how to fly the Airbus 220300.Breeze Airways is a new airline started by David Neelman (Jet Blue founder). Operates out of lesser-served cities such as Norfolk, Charleston, Richmond, Rochester, etc.; north and south along the East Coast; and out to California, Nevada, and Utah. Company HQ is in Utah. Health is good; I can’t ask for better.”

Alec Earle: “All’s well here in Las Vegas. We just returned from a 10-day Caribbean cruise and had a wonderful time.”

Leland Horn: “Not much to report. Still working but beginning to think about retirement somewhere in the next 12–14 months.”

Mike Oelrich: “My wife and I really enjoyed the reunion this past October and catching up with old friends and classmates. I want to acknowledge those in our class for the tremendous amount of work and time they put into pulling that all together. Great time for all of us. I was able to spend some time with T.J. and Ann Stevens in January at their home in Groveland, Florida. T.J. is working for a road construction company, and I can tell you with all the road construction taking place in the Orlando area, he is going to be busy for years! They are both doing well and look great. My family is doing well and enjoying life in Panhandle.”

Bill Robertson: “Major General Cedric Wins [’85] was the guest speaker at a luncheon at The Commonwealth Club in Richmond recently. Bill Hardy was the master of ceremonies for the event. Anthony Moore was in attendance, as well. It was fun to catch up with Bill and Anthony.”

Tom Tucker: “Doing OK here in Warrenton, Virginia. Nothing new to report.”

Bob Magnan: “Through the offices of Bob Jenvey, I got to an RVA get-together in early December. It was great to see everyone, especially after missing the reunion. One of the folks I spoke with was Paul Mitchell. I think a message may be garbled; I am in much better condition than I may have implied to him. I’ve been getting welfare checks from folks left and right—not the money kind, the ‘how ya doing?’ phone call kind. For the record: Yes, I have had 12 surgeries and a heart attack, but not all at once, for God’s sake! I had a hip replaced in 2014, then my knees. Then the remaining hip. Simply, I had some post-op complications/damage that required corrective work. Along with that, I had an MI due to the strain of the surgery. Fortunately, I had it right in front of a doctor in the ER. Things have been good since that run of problems, until three weeks ago. At that time, I was wantonly and maliciously attacked by a carpet protector under my desk chair; I fell and landed square on my left knee. I am now wearing a brace for six to seven weeks as the fracture heals.”

Blaine Vorgang: “As of this writing, Wendy and I are doing just fine, and we are in an ‘all right status’ for the email stick-check. Take care.”

Gary Snyder: “All right from Kentucky, missed the reunion due to COVID-19—really disappointed and was so looking forward to seeing everyone. Still working for HDT Global and still traveling frequently on business. Room 142 has conducted mini reunions over the last few years, and we need to pick our 2024 destination.”

Chris Stone: “I am checking in ‘all right.’ After 45 years, the last 30 years with my firm, I decided to retire as my firm’s CEO at the end of 2023. I can honestly say that when I selected my major at VMI, engineering, I had no idea that it would take me all over the world, working on some amazing projects with some extremely talented architects and engineers. Now I just need to figure out what the next chapter holds. I am still living in Richmond and still continue to lobby the Virginia General Assembly with several NGOs developing strategies to combat the impacts of a changing climate. Hoping to leave a better planet for my grandchildren. I did decide to do something fun and last year bought a Mini Cooper and decided it

Class of 1978: Terry Dorn, Beth Dorn, and Rex Wiggins on a 28-mile bicycle ride.

needed a special license plate. The photo below was taken outside of Smith Hall while attending the VMI Environmental Symposium last year.”

Tim Pishdad has been kind enough to step up and get the 50th Reunion planning under way. In case you did not get the email, here are some of the key items from Tim’s letter:

“As we are all too aware, time is fleeting. So now we look to the future, and before we know it, another five years will have passed, and we will be heading back to Lexington to attend the most important milestone (post-graduation, of course!) for every class—our 50th Reunion! Our goal, simply stated, is to have the most successful and enjoyable reunion gathering any of us have yet experienced.

“To accomplish this goal, we must get a head start on the planning process. I’ve offered to take the lead to get things started. This effort will require two separate committees: The first is to plan and coordinate the reunion itself, and the other to manage the VMIAA fundraising effort. Fundraising has always been an important facet of the Institute’s 50th Reunions. We have participated in past reunion parades as cadets and most of us later as alumni. All of us can acknowledge the importance of the fundraising campaign that accompanies the 50th Reunion.

I am now calling for volunteers who are willing to step up and serve on these two critical committees. Please reply with both your ideas for our 50th and for any help you are willing to offer—and thank you!

“We look forward to working together with your help to ensure that our 50th Reunion is not only a success but also that all of us who matriculated with the Class of ’78 and who are able are in attendance.

“Before I go, I know I speak for all of us in thanking Jim Simons for a terrific job well done in creating such a memorable weekend for over 150 of us to enjoy. His was a huge effort of dedication and service to us all, so we truly and sincerely thank you, Jim!

“May God bless each of us and our families, and may he enable and equip us all to reunite in 2028! Tim Pishdad, 50th Reunion Committee | tpishdad@gmail.com | 804-721-5850.”

That concludes the news from around the class. Remember to stay connected. As always, as you read this, send in your status for the next set of notes.

In the Spirit, Tom/EZ Bear

1979

Howard “Chappy” Lucas

I trust this finds everyone safe and well.

It is with heavy hearts that we learned of the passing of Robert “Chip” Muncy this past January. Way too early to lose such a dedicated public servant and community volunteer. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family. He will be missed.

I want to thank everyone who has checked in since the last class notes. Turning to notes:

Jeff Vordermark reported that he and Susan visited their two boys and granddaughters in Des Moines over Thanksgiving and sends, “Back home and a bit worn out ... in a good way! Hope all had a marvelous Thanksgiving.”

I heard from Stafford Taylor, who sent in his email address in response to receiving the class Christmas card and sent his best wishes for a merry Christmas.

Tom Northam also sent in his current email address and wrote, “Our son, Travis, is a 1st Classman on a Marine Corps scholarship and is on track to go to flight school after commissioning and basic school.”

Also sending in or confirming their current email addresses and sending best wishes for the holidays were Mark Powell, Grady Andrews, Phil Andrews, Bill “Wille P” Hamlin, Mitcheal Lee Buie-Bottoms, Bill Lamb, Fred Dismore, Brian McKeever, John Hash, Don Zimmer, John Carty, and Harold “Chip” Humphrey

Checking in from Thailand was Thitinant “Nong” Thanyasiri, who confirmed his receipt of our class Christmas card and sent holiday wishes to all.

In response to the class Christmas card, I heard from Ed Buck, who sent in his very first note to a class agent! (For complete transparency, Ed and I went to high school together.) Ed wrote that he is married to his Ring Figure date, and they live in West Chester, Pennsylvania. They have three grown children and two granddaughters, ages 3 and 5. His youngest son graduated from college one-and-a-half years ago and has a great job working for the same company that Ed works for. Ed’s daughter is married with two wonderful daughters for granddaddy Ed to spoil, and Ed’s oldest son is a priest for the Philadelphia Archdiocese. Ed also has a place on the Myles River in Easton,

Maryland, with their summers spent going to the Jersey Shore; Ocean City; or fishing, crabbing, and boating on the Eastern Shore. Ed writes, “I’m still working and jealous when I read about others in retirement. I really do enjoy reading about everyone in the Alumni Review.”

Brian Tollie reported that he and John Poffenbarger took a “little” train trip around the eastern half of the U.S. in November and December.

From Washington, D.C., Brian and Poff traveled to Chicago, followed by Memphis and New Orleans, then on to Laurel, Mississippi, and then back to Washington, D.C. While in Memphis, they linked up with now-retired Dave Kopelman, meeting for drinks and some tasty Memphis ribs.

Class of 1979: Having dinner in Memphis, Tennessee, are (from left) Brian Tollie, John Poffenbarger, and Dave Kopelman.

Class of 1979: Ralph Briggs (left) and Travis Callaway celebrate the new year in Nashville, Tennessee.

Class Notes

Other highlights of the trip included visits to the Field Museum in Chicago, the Cotton Museum in Memphis, the “mega-massive” Bass Pro Shop at the Memphis Pyramid, enjoying oysters at the Acme Oyster House, and taking in the new and improved National World War II Museum (formerly the D-Day Museum) in New Orleans.

Ralph Briggs wrote that he and Travis Callaway and their wives, LuAnn and Terri, spent the new year holidays in Nashville. This was their third consecutive year having gone somewhere together to bring in the new year. Ralph wrote, “Of course, we had to check out some Nashville styles!”

Travis Callaway also sent in his current email address and wrote, “Three years into retirement and thoroughly enjoying it. Much to be said for being a ‘kept man’ and answering to no one but Terri and the big man upstairs. Terri plans to continue working for another year or two as an architect and principal with Baskervill here in Richmond. Eventually, we hope to retire to our river house in Mathews, Virginia; travel a bit; and help raise our six grandsons (that’s a lot of conditional appointments for the Institute). Life is good!”

news for the history books. I am still working and can afford to retire when I’m 108. Looking forward to the reunion and seeing everyone.”

I heard from Bill Albro, who reported that “the lion of winter is roaring, but spring is around the corner here in Southern Maryland.” Bill also wrote that “Barbara and I continue to pack and get ready for the move to South Carolina in late spring.” While not having seen any BRs in person since the last class notes, Bill did provide highlights of

place at Hilton Head is almost complete. Dean Smith is doing fine and was painting at the place down near Sandbridge, Virginia, when I spoke with him. Dean and I are planning a visit or two and discussing future dive trips. Randy Pekarik called me to complain about the 63-degree weather in the Conch Republic (i.e., Key West, Florida). ‘Unacceptable,’ was his overall assessment. Randy is now retired and can devote full-time to diving as soon as his eye clears up. I called Brad Jones right after New Year’s Day. He and Maria are doing fine and enjoying retirement.”

Jeff Curtis checked in to report that “Betsy and I bought a home in Windmill Harbour in Hilton Head, South Carolina. We will be selling our place in St. Petersburg, Florida, and will now head to South Carolina for the winter when Williamsburg gets too cold.”

I was able to have a nice catch-up phone call with John Kailey. In addition, John wrote, “Not much to report. I had a little bit of a scare with A1C, but by the grace of God and no sugar, I have gotten back down out of the danger zone. Four-hundred-nine days and a wake-up until retirement (as of Jan. 23, 2024).”

Class

Reporting in from Florida was Dave Sholler, who wrote, “Nancy and I are now happily retired in Punta Gorda, Florida, with a summer home on Mousam Lake in our native Maine. I stay in regular touch with my great roommate, Mory Wood, who continues to personify the very best qualities of a true southern gentleman. Five-month-old first grandson, Nikolas James Sholler, is a provisional appointee for the Class of 2045. Being one of two cadets (myself and John Carty) from New England during our cadetship (to my recollection), it is amazing to see the number of alumni now in Northeast New England. May be enough to start our own chapter for those north of Boston! All BRs welcome to visit us in either location. RVM, Dave.”

Dave Smith checked in to report, “Life here in Ashburn, Virginia, has been quiet and uneventful, except that we are about to move to a retirement community about 3 miles from here. Not exactly

recent phone calls with several BRs: “Sput Leadbetter’s construction on the back of his house in Richmond is almost done, and he looks forward to spring at Whitestone. Doug and Ginny Mauck report that all is well in Topping, as they have continued to have visits from family and friends. Reggie Sadler is almost retired, and the renovation at their

In addition to being able to get together with him, John Colonna sent in a nice note reporting that “2023 was an eventful year career-wise for me. I officially retired from Sentara Medical Group Sept. 7. The teams at Norfolk General and Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters held separate events in my honor, which were wonderful and far more than I deserved. I spent much of the first few weeks of my retirement doing some overdue groundskeeping work at our church, and I continue to spend an afternoon or two there each week. I also restriped the church parking lot, which was kind of fun. I did feel a fair amount of pressure keeping the lines as straight as possible so people wouldn’t say, “Look at those crooked lines. I guess we know why John stopped doing surgery.” I cut out a bunch of carbs from my diet and lost 30 pounds. As September wound down and October began, I started receiving calls from the organ procurement agency in our area, Lifenet Health, asking if

Jan.

Class of 1979: Tailgating on the Parade Ground before the VMI versus UTC–Chattanooga football game Oct. 28, 2023, are (from left) Jeb Burton, Ken Lafferty ’78, Bill Hamlin, and Jeff McLean.

of 1979: Gathering for breakfast in Smithfield, Virginia,

24, 2024, are (from left) Pete Underwood, Anthony Pais, Frank Jester, and John Arthur.

I was willing to do an organ recovery due to lack of an available transplant surgeon. Needless to say, I jumped at those opportunities, which have now led Lifenet to offer me a part-time job covering up to 10 days a month for them. I was fully retired for 22 days. This will be a nice transition phase before full retirement in a few years. I am very grateful for the opportunity. Teresa and I are looking forward to the 45th Reunion in September.”

Checking in from Spokane, Washington, was Dan Sheahan. Dan has been meeting up with Bill Albro and Randy Pekarik for dive trips in Key West for the past three years. This past September, Dean Smith joined them to dive the Vandenberg shipwreck, with Bill and Dean placing a ’79 challenge coin on the wreck in an undisclosed location. Dan further wrote that he had the opportunity to travel to Tanzania in October, where he climbed Kilimanjaro. Dan summited at 19,341 feet! What a great experience! Dan was appreciative of Dean Smith’s excellent logistic support for him on the East Coast. Afterward, Dan visited his daughter and family in Philadelphia. During this visit, Dan was able to travel to the Jersey Shore and meet Bill Albro and John Ferry ’81 for John George’s memorial service. Dan wrote, “Bill and I were honored to represent our class at the memorial.” I know I speak for the entire class in thanking Dan and Bill for representing the class. Dan further reported that, out of the blue, he received

Class of 1979: At the 25th annual Appomattox Court House National Historical Park and Longwood University Civil War Seminar Feb. 3, 2024, in Farmville, Virginia, are (front row, from left) Anthony Pais, John Colonna, Gleb Taran, (back row) Pete Underwood, Brian Tollie, Joe Tudor, and Chappy Lucas.

a phone call in January from Greg Quinn. Greg is doing well, and apparently, Dan and Greg had some good laughs about their days as cadets. In closing, Dan wrote he is looking forward to being in Virginia in September for our 45th.

Greg “Weave” Weaver reported in as he continues his great work supporting New Cadet Recruiting. So far this year, he has a couple of recruits who have been accepted for next year’s entering Rat Mass, and one of his previous recruits is scheduled to graduate this year. Well done!

Frank Jester sent me a text one January morning reporting that he, Pete Underwood, Anthony Pais, and John Arthur were enjoying BRC in Smithfield, Virginia. Frank wrote, “We discussed lots of things but did not solve anything. Maybe next time.”

Speaking of BRC, over the last few months, I have been able to have one or more BRCs with Tom Manley, Phil Southers, Doug Doerr, John Poffenbarger, Pete Underwood, Gleb Taran, Anthony Pais, Brian Tollie, and Phil Andrews. It has been great catching up with all of them. I would encourage everyone to reach out to BRs in your area and start up regular local BRC formations. I am happy to assist anyone who would like to start up such an opportunity.

I speak regularly to Parke Smith, who is doing well and enjoying the great skiing out there in Colorado. I also stay in touch with Charlie Sachs, who is in Texas and is also doing well.

It was great fun and very educational for me to join Anthony Pais, John Colonna, Gleb Taran, Pete Underwood, Brian Tollie, and Joe Tudor for a daylong conference on selected battles of the Civil War held at Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia. Surprisingly, I realized that this was my first time on the Longwood campus. I guess I spent way too much time in NEB!

I received word that there was a recent Room 144 reunion. Jeff “Peel” McLean reported that he, Jeb Burton, Bill “Willie P” Hamlin, and Dave Jeter were able to get together during the UT–Chattanooga versus VMI football game weekend in Lexington. In addition, they were able to get with their other 1st Class roommate, Ken Lafferty ’78, who was there attending his 45th Reunion. According to reports, tailgating was on the agenda as they enjoyed a great game and the good weather!

I was able to have SRC with Jeff Minnix during one of his recent trips to Richmond. It was great to catch up with him as he is still hard at work but doing great.

Jim LaRose wrote that he and Kathie have already made plans and are looking forward to

seeing everyone at our 45th Reunion Sept. 6–8, 2024.

BRs also checking in with me or attending our monthly class calls include Tom Herbert, Keith Ranker, Ben Bauman, Rodney DeCorte, Sal Vitiello, Malcolm Grimes, John Blake, Jeff Goldhardt, David Riedel, Mike Ogden, Rick Hall, J.K. Hudgins, Dave Pyle, Earl Pilker, Hank Chase, Ray Duffett, Tom Baltazar, Tim Bridges, Pete Alvarez, Rich McDonough, Ed Johnson, Dan Kornacki, Steve Heatwole, Mike Vela, Randy Atkins, Ray Whitner, George “Greek” Eliades, Dave Crawford, Joe Jenkins, Glenn Higgins, J.R. Pigg, Larry Adams, and Al Soltis Apologies to anyone I may have missed on our monthly class calls, as I greatly appreciate everyone staying in touch as well as your continuing assistance and support.

I wanted to share the following note I received from Darold Weber’s wife, Jane: “I cannot express how much your reaching out means to me and my family. Darold was so proud to be part of the VMI family, and he would be so honored to know that his class remembers and recognizes his legacy in this world. I am grateful that you would include me in your email group, as it helps our family to keep a connection to the school Darold loved so much.” Jane also added, “Words cannot express how much we appreciate you and everyone from the VMI Class of ’79 for keeping my husband and our family in your thoughts and prayers.”

I want to thank Jane for her kind words and for the opportunity to continue to have her included with our class.

In closing, if it has been a while since you last connected with a BR, take the time today to reach out and reconnect! RVM!

1980

John Gibney Jr.

Hello, Brother Rats!

These notes cover the period Nov. 16, 2023–Feb. 15, 2024.

The period began with an email to Joe Belkoski on his birthday. Tracy Wilson was copied and wrote that our D.C.-area BRs were planning a group dinner at which Joe would be toasted.

I exchanged separate text messages with Matthew Keys and Larry Hupertz during football

season (I am a lifelong Giants fan), harassing Matthew when the Giants whupped the Washington football team and congratulating Larry on the season his Browns had. I exchanged text messages with Josh Priest on his birthday. Josh reported that all was well.

I spoke with Andy Ludlum on his birthday. Andy is a retired pilot and reported that he and Nicki and their children and grandchildren are doing well. Andy and Nicki saw Rob and Ginger Gearhart in September and Andy keeps in touch with Keith Stewart. Andy serves on the board of the Frederick, Maryland, Rescue Mission.

Bert Schneider, who lives in Arizona, sent an email explaining his participation in an advisory panel at the Air Force Academy and the time he spent in a wind tunnel at the Colorado Springs iFly facility.

Tom Shedd, who lives in South Carolina, sent a happy Thanksgiving email with a link that I did not open, as it appeared to be unauthorized. Tom confirmed that he did send the message and explained the link.

I spoke at length with John Caplice. John is retired, and he and Margie spend a lot of time traveling. John had just returned from a golf trip to Gulf Shores, Alabama, and we discussed the group that gathered at VMI for the final home football game of the season, including Josh Priest, Rob Robinson, Tom Bersson, Pat Griffin, Ali Mahan, Tony Zoetis, Elliott Wolffe, Allen Ramer, Matt Griffin, Hugh Fain, Jay Melvin, and Bud Zirkle

I was copied on an email from Jack Keane containing The VMI Class of 1980 Foundation Quarterly Newsletter. Their website is vmi80.org.

Underdog YouTube video noting how great it was to be retired!

I spoke with Steve Andrews on his birthday. Steve and Cathy are retired and live in Richmond. They spent Thanksgiving in New Jersey with their daughter, Caroline. Their daughter, Virginia, lives and works in Boston.

I exchanged text messages and then spoke with

wrote that he and Dianna celebrated Thanksgiving in their Outer Banks home with their daughter and granddaughter.

I exchanged text messages with Steve Kilnar on his birthday, with Dwight Pearson and Rob Robinson included.

Frank Leech sent an email after receiving his birthday card. Frank is from Albuquerque but for 32 years has lived and worked overseas. He is currently living and working in Manila and plans to continue to do so for a few more years. I responded coincidentally with learning that our 45th has been scheduled for fall 2025 (see below). Frank wrote that his travel window is small, but when the actual dates are announced, he will try to attend.

I exchanged text messages and spoke with Phil Munisteri on his birthday. Phil and Kathy are retired, live in Long Island, and plan to travel. Both their son and their daughter are expecting children in April. Phil keeps in touch with Pat Griffin and Bruno Loefstedt and speaks with Don Bradshaw and John Hughes. Phil also said that a scheduled weekend with Jack Keane was canceled due to COVID-19. Bruno Loefstedt sent a text, with John Hughes and Phil Munisteri copied, with an

John Alerding, as John and Anne and Patti and I share a wedding anniversary. Both are still working, but Anne, a professor at VMI, is on sabbatical. John’s son, Johnny ’13, is expecting his second child.

December began with an exchange of text messages with Ed Baker on his birthday. Included in the texts were Hugh Fain and Wade Stinnette. Ed

I exchanged text messages and spoke with Tuck Masker on his birthday. Tuck lives in North Carolina and is retired but works from home in a sales role on a commission basis and had occasion to speak with Dennis Milsten. His children are well. Tuck rides about 6,000 miles a year and participates in a Facebook group with Joe Belkoski, Don Bradshaw, Rob Gearhart, Dave Hagemann, and Phil Munisteri

Tom Bersson sent a text with a photo taken at the VMI Hampton Roads Christmas party. In addition to Tom, our BRs in attendance were Hunter Davis, Mike Luning, Ali Mahan, Josh Priest, Dixon Tucker, and Bob White

I received notification from the Alumni Review staff that they were editing the section of our submitted Nov. 15 class notes where I wrote that I reached out to the Alumni Association regarding our 45th Reunion and was told the dates were unknown. I was informed that our 45th is scheduled for fall 2025, with the dates to be determined in connection with a home football game (i.e., upon the 2025 football schedule being published). The published notes have been edited to reflect this. I then sent a blast email notifying our class. If you did not receive the email, please contact me. The blast email prompted many responses from (in chronological order) Lewis Toms, Phil Munisteri, Bob White, Phil Altizer, Rick Penn, Larry Hupertz,

Class of 1980: Josh Priest, Rob Robinson, Tom Bersson, Tony Zoetis, John Caplice, Ali Mahan, Elliott Wolffe, Allen Ramer, Pat Griffin, Matt Griffin, Hugh Fain, and Bud Zirkle gather for a pregame tailgate in November 2023.

Class of 1980: Tom Bersson, Josh Priest, Bob White, Dixon Tucker, Ali Mahan, Hunter Davis, and Mike Luning at the Hampton Roads Chapter Christmas party.

Joe Paustenbaugh, Bob Osler, Tolar Nolley, Tom Bersson, Josh Priest, Alex Woelper, Dave Hagemann, Frank Leech, Ron Trepanier, and Mike Demers

Lewis Toms’ response included the news that he is transferring from Doha, Qatar, to NYC Jan. 3 and will be living in an apartment on 5th Avenue. I offered any assistance he needed to settle in. In a subsequent message, Lewis wrote that he moved in. Bob White, Phil Altizer, Rick Penn, Larry Hupertz, Bob Osler, Tolar Nolley, Tom Bersson, Josh Priest, and Alex Woelper replied with merry Christmas wishes. Dave Hagemann sent apologies for not being able to attend the football game in Charleston in October. Mike Demers wrote that he was retiring at the end of December.

I spoke with Ken Trotman on his birthday. Ken and Joanne are retired and live in the Beaufort, South Carolina, area. They celebrated with dinner in Charleston. They travel to California to visit their son, who is in the Marine Corps, and granddaughter.

I spoke with Tim Hodges on his birthday. Tim is retired and took advantage of a mild December to golf at the Lexington Golf & Country Club.

I exchanged birthday text messages with John Blankenship and included Dusty Boyd, John Caplice, Hugh Fain, Jay Melvin, and Tolar Nolley, who all responded with well wishes.

Walt and Mary Lynne Wood sent an email with Christmas wishes and white Christmas photos from Anchorage, Alaska, (their first white Christmas in 23 years) on the shortest day of the year— only 5 hours, 27 minutes of daylight. They arrived in Alaska in August and remained in Alaska longer than anticipated, which resulted in Walt learning to use a snow blower! Their plan was to travel to the Atlanta area and depart for Peru mid-February and return to the U.S. in June.

Each year, I receive Christmas cards from many of our BRs, some with photos and others with summaries of their year. Cards arrived from Ed and Dianna Baker; Farhad “Bill” and Deby Bigdely; Andy Brown; Vince and Sheila Copenhaver; Pat and Beth Griffin; Paul and Angela Keel; Ed, Madina, and Toma Kopsick; Gary and Karen Levenson; Andy and Nicki Ludlum; and Bert and Peggy Schneider

Cards with notes arrived from the following brother rats. Steve and Cathy Andrews wrote that their daughter, Caroline, now lives in Bloomfield, New Jersey, and that we will try to get together when they visit her. Mickey, Joe, and Lanie Cole—Mickey wrote that he is looking forward to the 2025 reunion and that he attended a VMI

football game with Dave Gleason and Tony Zoetis. Robby and Beth Jones—Robby wrote that he hopes to see us in 2024. Robby and Mary Ann Wheeler—Wheelz wrote that he is looking forward to our 45th.

Cards with photos arrived from John and Anne Alerding, with an attached explanation of each of the eight photos; the Elliott family—Ed, Amy, Isaac, Ally, and Pete; the Fellowses, Gary, Mindy, Nicole, and Oreo; Dave and Diana Hagemann; Bill and Patty Kelly; Rick and Debbie Legere; The Lillards, John, Barbara, Jim, Sean, Alison, Grace, and Dooley; Phil and Kathy Munisteri; the Sobota family, Mark, Darleen, Anden, Kylie and Luke, Elias, Cora, Megan and Chad, and Lily; the Stonemans, Terry, Kelly, and family; and Wade and Lannie Stinnette.

Larry and Vera Hupertz sent a card with several photos and a summary of their 2023 trips, including Charleston, South Carolina, for the football game versus The Citadel. They are both still working and expecting their second grandchild.

Tim and Becky Mecredy’s card, with photos, described their year as an adventure, including completing building and moving into their new home in Augusta, Georgia.

Brian and Kim O’Neill sent a card with an enclosed photo of their nine grandchildren and their traditional Christmas letter. Brian, who is still working, added a note about looking forward to our 45th Reunion.

Finally, Tracy and Jennifer Wilson’s card contained several photos and an update noting that their daughters are thriving in school. Siena graduated high school and is studying fashion design at the Savannah College of Art and Design. Ellie is in 11th grade at the Madeira School. Tracy is still consulting, and Jennifer is still working at IMF. Christmas cards that I sent to Frank Arena and Don Briggs were returned as undeliverable.

Bill Roelofsen sent an email after receiving his Christmas card. Sadly, Bill’s wife, Ginny, was diagnosed with glioblastoma in April and died Aug. 23 at home while surrounded by her immediate family. Bill is retired and lives in Charlottesville and was supported throughout by Ed Elliott, Keith Frazier, John Tinsley, Mike Bajorek, Bob Osler, and Lewis Toms.

Bob Hillard and Mike Knapp share an end of December birthday, and I exchanged email messages with each individually. Bob replied with Christmas blessings and that all is well in Nashville. Mike is now Medicare eligible and also replied with holiday wishes.

Bob White sent an email after receiving his

Christmas card noting he is newly retired. He also wrote that we should plan to play golf in 2024.

Dennis Maguire sent a merry Christmas text with a video from the movie, “Elf.”

Scott Sayre sent a text after receiving his Christmas card. Scott and Mary are completely unplugged from Lexington but retain a home in Stoney Creek, Virginia, at the base of Wintergreen and have moved from St. Petersburg, Florida, to Chattanooga, Tennessee, to be near their daughter, son-in-law, and two grandchildren. They are close with Frank and Wanda Hilton and plan to travel together to Normandy for the 80th anniversary D-Day ceremony.

Rob Robinson’s daughter, Maddie, lives and works in NYC. Rob visited during Christmas and invited me and Patti to dinner with them and Rob’s daughter, Caitlin, a junior at UVA.

The new year began with a call with Tolar Nolley. We communicate weekly and speak when he is up for conversation. Tolar sounded great, very upbeat, and confident his current treatments will produce positive results. Tolar also said that Dusty Boyd heard from Farhad “Bill” Bigdely that Bill had a heart issue and had bypass surgery. Tolar also said he heard Elliott Wolffe had a heart issue. I reached out to both Bill and Elliott and spoke at length with Elliott, who is fine but spent a week in the hospital ultimately having a loop inserted, which put his practicing golf on hold until he fully healed.

I exchanged text messages with Wade Stinnette on his birthday. He celebrated with family and dinner out with Lannie in Columbia, South Carolina.

Rob Quarles sent an email, copying Larry Hupertz, with an invite to attend the 2024 NCAA lacrosse championships over Memorial Day weekend in Philadelphia. We joined Rob in 2022 at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Larry and Vera will be celebrating their 39th anniversary that weekend, so he is out.

I exchanged emails with Kirk Cole on his birthday. Kirk reported that all is well, and he is busy at work. He also plans to attend our 45th and referenced how awful it was to serve a No. 2 and playing guitar with Jody Weatherwax in the “sinks.”

I spoke with Eli Alford on his birthday. Eli lives in Austin, Texas, with his wife, Lisa. He is retired from the Army and is employed as the chief of staff of a clinical research company. He does not plan to retire soon but does plan to attend our 45th.

I also exchanged email messages and text messages with Ron Trepanier on his birthday. Ron lives in San Angelo, Texas, and plans to continue to work as a civil engineer for a few more years. He

also purchased a second home in San Antonio for use on weekends.

I also reconnected with Tom Shedd, who is taking logic in college and planning a cruise to Alaska in September. He did not receive the blast email regarding our 45th but plans to attend.

Allan Berenbrok sent an email with his new address in Gulfport, Florida, in the Tampa area. He relocated in December from Pennsylvania before winter hit. Allan is a roadway engineer and plans to work another year before considering retirement. He travels to natural gas pipeline projects, next through Virginia and North Carolina. He also has a project near our Poconos house, and we will try to connect in the spring.

I exchanged emails with Ben Gore on his birthday. Ben lives in the Charlottesville area on the 15th fairway, which was snow-covered. Ben is a member of the VMI Foundation Board of Trustees and is a member of the Fundraising Committee. He also works with Habitat for Humanity building and repairing houses.

The Alumni Association sent an email noting the passing of Charles “Chuck” Alvarez June 15, 2023, in Leland, North Carolina. He left VMI after one month but served 20 years in the Army as a military police officer. Ave atque vale.

Jan. 28 came and went without anyone mentioning our Breakout anniversary.

I exchanged emails with Larry Hupertz on his birthday. Larry and Vera celebrated at Epcot in Disney World.

I exchanged email messages with Chris Dombalis and spoke with Dennis Maguire on their common birthday. Dennis lives in Boston and said he saw I will be attending the Volunteer Leaders Conference March 21–23, which includes class agents, chapter presidents, and chapter representatives. Dennis said he was considering attending, and Pat Griffin was attending. Upon registering for the event, I reached out to John Alerding, Tim Hodges, Robby Jones, Gary Levenson, Jay Melvin, and Rob Robinson to save-the-date, as we plan to get together during my visit. On the drive down, Patti and I are scheduled to have dinner with Frank and Wanda Hilton in Harrisonburg. We also plan to visit with Tolar Nolley in Richmond before heading home.

Rob Robinson sent a text with a photo of a

Walt and Mary Lynne Wood sent separate email messages as a follow-up to their above message. Mary Lynne wrote that they were in Georgia through mid-February then returning to Peru. Walt wrote that he combines his travels with visiting our BRs whenever and wherever he can, and it never ceases to amaze him how accomplished our class is. He has visited Mike Kelly in Boise, Idaho; Tom Kelly in Boise, Idaho; Dave Humphrey in Castle Rock, Colorado; Don Briggs in Dallas, Texas; Matt Griffin in Meridian, Mississippi; Mark Sobota in Ohio; Andy Ludlum in Maryland; Patrick McCarthy in Pennsylvania; Wade Stinnette in Columbia, South Carolina; Sterling “Phillip” Hourihan in South Berwick, Maine; and John Hughes in Kansas City, Kansas.

Bert Schneider sent a text with an attached photo taken at a college fair in Tucson, Arizona, where he represented VMI. I spoke with Craig “Wiennie” Wilson on his birthday. He lives in the Virginia Beach area and runs his own construction firm. He is well and reported that business was very good. He planned to celebrate with a round of golf, and we discussed getting together for golf this summer.

I exchanged emails with Tim Mecredy on his birthday. Tim sent photos taken at his new home. The period ended with an exchange of emails with Doug Burton on his birthday. Doug lives in North Carolina, is still working, and plans to continue for a few more years.

Please take a few minutes to confirm that your

group of our BRs who attended the memorial service at UVA for Frank Hilton’s daughter, who died of cancer. The group included Ed Bower, Paul Burkholder, Rob Gearhart, Pat Griffin, Dennis Hackemeyer, Scott Sayre, and Dixon Tucker

Rob also sent a text with an attached photo taken at Cameron Hall following the VMI basketball team’s win over The Citadel. In addition to Rob, our BRs in attendance included Dan Conn, John Caplice, Frank Hilton, Dennis Jacobs, Jay Melvin, and Rob Quarles

February began with an exchange of emails with Dan Sweeney on his birthday with a copy to Wade Stinnette, his VMI roommate and boyhood friend from Lynchburg.

Class of 1980: Rob Robinson, Pat Griffin, Dan Sweeney, and Ben Gore attend the Cadet-Alumni Networking Forum in September 2023.

Class of 1980: Rob Robinson, Dixon Tucker, Frank Hilton, Scott Sayre, Paul Burkholder, Rob Gearhart, Pat Griffin, Dennis Hackemeyer, and Ed Bower attend a memorial service for Frank Hilton’s daughter in Charlottesville, Virginia, in December 2023.

Class of 1980: Bob Evans and Rob Robinson in Johnson City, Tennessee, in November 2023.

Class notes

information on the VMI database (vmiaa.org/ ranks) is up to date. VMI is moving to electronic voting, and accurate information is essential to keeping you informed. Reach out if you need assistance. Thank you for your continuing support and for keeping me in the loop via phone calls, text messages, and emails.

1981

Jerry Manley

BRs, Brides, Family, and Friends, I am wrapping up these notes on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, for publication in the May issue of the Alumni Review. Seems like just yesterday that I submitted November inputs. It is hard to believe that the Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and Christmas seasons blew by us so quickly. It was a busy time for many; however, I didn’t seem to get a lot of input from the class for this submission. That simply means you will have to suffer through your reading as I fill in the white space with a few ramblings of my own.

In November, I was honored to attend the wedding of Grover and Melissa Outland’s oldest daughter, Madeline, to David Gagner Jr. at the Larz Anderson House in Washington, D.C. There were many VMI alumni in attendance from the extended Outland family, but the most notable alumni were from our class, the best class. Our BRs who were honored to attend were Johann Cooper; Mike Denton; Rob Digby; Mark “Sloppy” Gonsalves; Jerry Manley; and of course, the father of the bride, Grover Outland. The venue at the Anderson House was amazing and provided for a beautiful and memorable service. Most of us stayed at the swanky Cosmos Club across the street and enjoyed the many celebrations in our capital city.

In early December, I had the honor of attending a dinner in Midlothian at the Portico Trattoria (a great Italian restaurant) with BRs Bruce Kitchen, Andy Lauzier, Ken “Catman”

Morris, and Greg and Ann Wolven. Andy was up from Lakewood Ranch, Florida, on business and the “excuse” for us to enjoy food, drink, and camaraderie. As with any gathering when they attend, the never-ending stories from Bruce and Catman kept us entertained, much to the chagrin of the surrounding tables. Haha!

Shannon and I were also blessed in December by having BR Jim Hart; his daughters, Danielle and Erica; and their grandmother, Linda Sandifer, stay at our home over the Christmas holiday and share time with members of our family. We were doubly blessed to have had Ken “Catman” and Karen Morris stop by on Christmas Eve and Rob “Cos” and Jen Costello arrive on Christmas Day.

As those who receive my class email updates know, BR Ed Oast suffered a serious medical challenge in early December. I won’t go into detail on that in this publication, but what I will boast about the tremendous show of support Ed has received from our BRs, many of whom have visited Ed during his recovery at the Ballentine in Norfolk. In mid-January, I joined several BRs

for a surprise visit, and that austere group of BRs included Larry Butler, Rob “Cos” Costello, Jeff Davies, Mike Denton, Jim Hart, Jerry Manley, and Wirt Shinault. Several other BRs and alumni have made individual or recurring visits during this time of need. Special shout-outs go to BRs Jeff Davies and Wirt Shinault, who have made multiple visits and also helped Ed “run the block” several times to enjoy a good meal at a local restaurant. Ed truly loves his brother rats, and the visits have done him tremendous good. Ed continues to improve, but please keep him in your prayers for a full recovery.

Now for the input from BRs:

Larry Butler was featured in the December 2023 copy of the Bayfront Living magazine, published by Best Version Media. Larry was on the cover of that edition with his daughter, Grace. BVM wrote a great article titled, “Meet the Butler Family of Chesapeake Beach,” about Larry and his three adult children, Grace, Megan, and Jack. They even included a special mention of Larry’s steadfast companion and rescue dog, Bear. Those who have met Bear at SML know what a great pup he is. Looks like Larry has adapted well to his transition from the Chicago area to Chic’s Beach!

Trip Lloyd wrote to say the holidays were terrific in Fredericksburg. His adult children came home, and that made things perfect. His son, Liam, is in Richmond attending VCU, and his daughter, Amanda, is in nursing school in Boston. As the years have gone on, Trip has realized life is about accumulating experiences, not things; he has enough things. Trip and his bride, Anne, had their annual ski vacation at the end of January and spent two weeks cruising the Caribbean from late March into April. Trip is still running the global health budget execution division for USAID during the day, and his evenings are spent singing with his acapella jazz group, performing with his improv team, rehearsing with his church choir, dancing with his reenactment group, or rehearsing for his next theater production. He is also running final rehearsals for the Virginia Renaissance Faire and is looking forward to acting in that show. Should any BRs attend the faire, ask any street performer to be directed to

Class of 1981: In Norfolk, Virginia, in January 2024 are (from left) Mike Denton, Larry Butler, Jerry Manley, Ed Oast, Wirt Shinault, Rob “Cos” Costello, Jeff “Mots” Davies, and Jim Hart.

Class of 1981: Mike Denton, Mark “Sloppy” Gonsalves, Jerry Manley, Grover Outland, Johann Cooper, and Rob Digby attend the wedding of Madeline Outland to David Gager Jr. at the Anderson House in Washington, D.C., in November 2023.

the mayor, and they will lead you to Trip.

Jim Frishkorn received notification in December that he was selected to become a fellow in the Society of American Military Engineers. Mei-Ling and Jim will be traveling to Orlando in May 2024 to attend the induction ceremony. Mei-Ling is managing the finances for three of their granddaughters who are in college. They received some financial relief after Dreama, the oldest, received an AFROTC scholarship at the beginning of her sophomore year at Ole Miss. Dreama is focused on attending medical school in another couple of years. On multiple occasions, BR Mark Kanter has generously invited Dreama to shadow him while performing a variety of surgeries. Jim further shared that folks in his hometown of Poquoson have proudly embraced the Kanters, as they are easily recognizable when riding their bicycle built for two around town. Jim’s grandson, Chance, attended last summer’s USMC-sponsored SAME Construction Summer Camp at Camp Lejeune and returned home verbalizing his intent to attend VMI in two years and study engineering. At 6 feet, 1 inch, and still growing, he may be suiting up and playing football for the Keydets. Chance spent a couple of days and an overnight at VMI this past fall and mentioned that he met Col. Bogart. Chance was

Class of 1981: Gathering for dinner at the Palermo Trattoria in Midlothian, Virginia, in December 2023 are (from left) Bruce Kitchen, Andy Lauzier, Greg Wolven, Ken “Catman” Morris, and Jerry Manley.

Class of 1981: Billy Stamm, Grover Outland, Mike Shupp, Dave Openshaw, John Ferry, and Brian Gardner ’03 (Ferry’s cousin) attend the VMI versus the U.S. Naval Academy basketball game in Annapolis, Maryland, in December 2023.

Class of 1981: Attending the first VMI Groundhog Day celebration in Norfolk, Virginia, are (from left) Jim Owens ’79, Ian Costello ’09, Dave Clement ’89, Tom Hernandez ’89, Chris Kanter ’86, Scott Ingram ’86, Larry Butler, Jim Hart, Rob “Cos” Costello, and Rob Hoar ’89.

later blown away when he learned that Bogey was Jim’s classmate and dear friend.

Ann and Greg Wolven chimed in, sharing that they have been busy since returning from their Ireland and Scotland trip in September 2023. Greg is busy helping the town’s mayor and council organizing and assisting several projects. He also actively helped renovate parts of the Burkeville Volunteer Fire Department & EMS Thrift Store where Ann volunteers. Fran and Jose Suarez ’82 with their Boston terrier, Sarge, visited them in early November while traveling through the area. Greg and Ann also had a full house for Thanksgiving with their son, Chris, and daughter and her husband, Katie and Billy, home for the holiday. It was a relaxing visit full of family, food, and games. At Christmas, they went to Maryland to visit with Ann’s family for a week and to see Greg’s brother, Jim. They then headed to Indiana to visit with Greg and Ann’s parents. January found them in Charleston, South Carolina, visiting their son since he wasn’t able to take off for the holidays.

Clay Wommack shared that all is good in Tampa. He had a great overnight visit with Clarkson Meredith in November before Thanksgiving. Clarkson was en route to his daughter’s home in Sarasota. Clarkson reported to Clay that he has entered the new phase of life called “retirement” and is splitting his time between his home base in Northern Virginia and Bayse where Denise, his wife, has family. Clay shared that Clarkson looked great (not sure he actually ages!) and that they shared “a lidocaine patch or two” to ease old soccer, lacrosse, and tennis injuries! Per Clay, any BR who needs tropical relief this winter with free pain patches, please come on down to Tampa, as he gets cases of the patches from the VA thanks to his “little helicopter incident” in 1981!

Some quick hitters: Rob “Cos” Costello shared that he, Larry Butler, and Jim Hart attended the first annual VMI Groundhog Day celebration in Norfolk, Virginia. From the picture, it looks like a great gathering of alumni! In attendance with our BRs were Jim Owens ’79, Scott Ingram ’86,

Chris Kanter ’86 (BR Mark Kanter’s brother), Dave Clement ’89, Tom Hernandez ’89, Rob Hoar ’89, and Ian Costello ’09 (BR Cos’ son). This looks like a great event that has the potential to grow in size, and I suspect there will be more ’81 BRs attending in the coming years!

Tim Nitz once again performed at Shannon’s Rise & Grind Café in early February, playing guitar and singing to the enjoyment of the customers and staff ... and to Tim when he collected the tips thrown in his open guitar case! It is always great to see Tim play but truly wonderful to see how much he enjoys playing.

From Grover Outland, he attended the VMI versus Navy basketball pre-game at McGarvey’s in Annapolis and the game at the USNA fieldhouse with notable BRs Nov. 29. In attendance with Grover were our BRs Tom Albro, John Ferry, Dave Openshaw, Mike Shupp, and Billy Stamm. John Ferry’s cousin, Brian Gardner ’03, also attended and surprised John at the event. A great time was had by all!

In early February, Mark and Maria Gonsalves treated Larisa and John McKeegan to dinner in NYC as a thank you from the class for their selfless support to BRs in need. John does not look for recognition or the limelight, so we will suffice to say that he is a great BR.

Jessica and Brian Quisenberry went to Tuscaloosa in January and had lunch with Sherie and Jeff White ’84. They have been meaning to have such a get-together for a while and finally made it happen. They followed the lunch up with both couples going to the VMI versus Samford basketball game.

Rich Nehls shot a quick note. He is living in Naples, Italy, and recently accepted a position as joint/combined exercise planner with commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet.

That is all the news that is fit to print, my brothers. Please keep in mind that these writeups are only as good as the input received. I will look to improve the number of inputs for the next submission ... nudge, nudge!

In closing, we have a number of BRs dealing with medical concerns—either themselves or their wives. Please keep the class spirit alive and stay in contact with one another. We have a unique bond through VMI, and even more unique is the brotherhood we share in the Class of 1981—the best damn class that has ever graced the arches of the Institute!

Stay healthy, happy, and well!

In the Bonds of the VMI Class of ’81, Jerry

1982

Will Council

Hello, BRs,

Hope you are all doing excellent and are enjoying life to the fullest. No complaints will be taken anyway, so let’s just keep moving with the notes from our classmates.

During the Christmas holidays, I was able to sneak back into Richmond for only a few days. No big fanfare, but I was able to spend some time with Bob Louthan for a great breakfast in the West End. He and Kathy were eagerly awaiting the return of their son, Mason Louthan ’18, from his Navy deployment on the carrier Gerald R. Ford CVN-78. Bob shared some pictures later when they did get to greet him. Pretty awesome that they have two VMI pilots in there together. I also got to share a lunch break with John Reese. This was the first time that we have gotten to spend some quality time just catching up. John and I go way back ... as in before high school at J.R. Tucker. After VMI and the Navy, our summertime was spent water skiing on the James River until we either ran out of daylight or beer. I also have John to thank for setting me up with my wife, Susan! John and Susan had met through that early dating app known as the newspaper “personal” ads. When they mutually agreed they were not the right match, John offered to introduce us. OK, so maybe I was a little clueless about the whole thing, as I did not know until nearly a year later. That was 35 years ago! So now, John is working on his bucket list. Not that he plans on kicking the bucket anytime soon, but why wait around. He tells me he has been taking up fencing (sword thingies, not stolen goods!) and culinary arts classes. Yes! He is working on learning how to cook some fabulous things. Go find him on Facebook! Thanks, John; I appreciate your friendship. Live long and prosper! I had taken a gift with me to Richmond to share with the local VMI crowd, but when a crowd did not appear, I decided to try something different.

If you have been paying any attention to any of our BR gatherings in the Lexington area, they all seem to have a common denominator: The Jeanie and Keith Jarvis house. I decided to drop by unannounced on my way back to Chattanooga, but wouldn’t you know it, they were not home!

Keith returned my call from the airport, as they were traveling to New Mexico for Jeanie’s family. I told him I had left him a present under a bush near his back door to be opened and shared at the next gathering of BRs. What was this present? A very nice bottle of Chattanooga Whiskey. A few days later, I got a text from Keith that he had found the bottle upon returning home. But it was no longer under the bush but out in the yard with obvious teeth marks where some scoundrelous critter had tried to open it! It didn’t break the seal, and thank goodness, it did not have opposable thumbs. So here is the deal: You all are welcome to try this fine Tennessee whiskey anytime you come by Keith’s house if you agree to submit a class note to go with it! And a picture to prove it.

While we are on the subject of winter travels, Andy Balding was passing through the Lexington area and decided to pay a visit. What he found

Class of 1982: Attending the Northeast Florida Chapter Christmas party are Jose Suarez, Duke Addison, Col. Keith Jarvis, and George Mayforth.

Class of 1982: Andy Balding (left) with Col. Adrian Bogart ’81, commandant.

was a little worrisome. The lights were on, but nobody was home. Seriously! He said the offices were open, nothing locked, so he walked around until he found the commandant’s desk and decided to leave a note for Col. Adrian Bogart ’81 ... on his desk. As it is a custom to go eat at the Palms when in town, Andy had not even taken a bite out of his sandwich when he got the call to report back to the commandant’s office ASAP. Andy and Bogie had a great time catching up on all the years in between. The commandant informed him that the Corps was returning that day, so that’s why offices were open but not yet manned. If you want to visit with the commandant, do so quickly; his tour is up in June.

Class of 1982: Returning from a deployment aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford are (left) U.S. Navy Lts. Alastair Young ’17 and Mason Louthan ’18, son of Bob and Kathy Louthan.

Jose Suarez sent along a quick note that Duke and Penny Addison hosted the VMI alumni Northeast Florida Chapter Christmas party in early January. They had a very special guest come by to give an update on all the construction and building changes going on at VMI. Wonder who that would be? Our very own Col. Keith Jarvis! Also present were the wives, Fran Suarez and Jeanne Jarvis, and George Mayforth I love that Keith chose to wear the now-famous reunion luau shirts. Much better festive attire than blazers.

My daughter, Dana, is attending a training course at Quantico for a new position she is taking with the Department of Justice. Just so happens our two BRs will be part of her training instructors. I have notified Bob Briggs and Guy Marangoni that they need to harass her when they come into class. Someone better take a picture!

Speaking of Marangoni, his rat son, Louis ’27, is now out of the Rat Line! Good grief, what class is that? 2027?

A final note. I am failing in my duties as your class agent. Failing to keep up with the sports schedule as to when the Keydets are coming to Tennessee. At least that is what Daryl Deke says! Late in the day recently, I get this email. It’s Daryl saying he’s on the way to Chattanooga right then to come see the men’s basketball team play against UT–Chattanooga ... like in three hours. OK, so I have to place myself on report for failure to know the schedule, and that ignorance is no excuse. Unfortunately, I had other scouting business already planned for the evening, and I could not skip out on it. Dang it! I called Daryl back, and sure enough, he was

Class of 1982: Bob and Kathy Louthan welcome their son, U.S. Navy Lt. Mason Louthan ’18, home from a deployment aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford.

Class of 1982: Aircraft from the USS Gerald R. Ford fly in formation.

driving down and would be sitting right behind the team seats and had a ticket ready for me if I wanted it. I am sorry to let you down, BR! Now, I must review the sports calendar across the different fields and be ready to reply. By the way, VMI got smoked by UTC.

So, the challenge continues. Have a great spring, everyone. Don’t forget to write, call, text, or send up smoke signals. In fact, why not take out your phone right now and enter my contact information in it? Do it! That way I don’t have to hear any more excuses about not having my contact information.

In the spirit of VMI.

Sincerely, Will Council

1983

Jamie MacDonald

Brother Rats,

I hope you are well. As I draft our class update, winter appears to be waning in Virginia. Perhaps spring is not too far away. We continue to have a good number of updates to share in the Alumni Review, and I remain grateful for your sharing of information and photographs.

Pressing forward, it is once again my sad duty to inform you of the passing of a BR. Duane Padrick passed away Jan. 25 after a courageous battle against cancer. Entering VMI from Newport News, Virginia, on a four-year U.S. Air Force scholarship, Duane rose through the cadet ranks to serve as Band Company’s executive officer. He was a member of several cadet activities and graduated with a degree in civil engineering and a commission in the U.S. Air Force. Duane is commemorated in the Taps section of this edition of the Alumni Review.

I am very happy to share good news with you. Jack and Anne Manley’s son, Miles Manley ’16, and his wife, Karlie, welcomed Oakley Michelle Manley to the world Oct. 21, 2023. In addition to Oakley being Jack and Anne’s first grandchild, Miles noted it was “pretty cool” that Oakley’s uncle was his BR Evan Thompson. I have no doubt Jack is lovingly watching over his growing family. Congratulations to the Manley family,

and a heartfelt welcome to Oakley. Many thanks to Anne, Miles, and Teddy Gottwald for sharing this wonderful news with us.

Jennifer and I are well and enjoying time with our kids, who all live nearby. In January, I had the opportunity to meet with a dozen cadets commissioning into the Army. We discussed world events, military leadership, and career-related key and developmental assignments and opportunities. It was tremendously refreshing to speak with the cadets. They are highly intelligent, engaged, and quick to learn. I am pleased to report that the future of our nation’s Army will be in good hands. My sincere thanks to Col. Scott Brannon, Capt. Mo Dawson, and the rest of VMI Army ROTC team for supporting my visit. Thanks also to those 12 cadets who took the time to meet with a long-retired soldier. For those with military experience to share with our commissioning cadets, I encourage you to reach out to your service’s ROTC leadership to seek an opportunity to engage with the cadets.

In my day-to-day work in the Pentagon, I often run into VMI alumni and, every now and again, get to catch up with a BR. J.J. Costello and I met for coffee last month. It was wonderful to catch up with him and listen to his account of him swearing in his and Cherie’s son, P.J., into the U.S. Navy. A great day for the Costello family.

I often see Whit Owens at work where he oversees much of our contract support work. It’s great to work with a BR like Whit. I also see BR Matt Waring from time to time in the building. Matt is constantly busy keeping the Army resourced.

Mark Benvenuto reported in with an update. Mark is a professor of chemistry at University of Detroit Mercy. He’s been doing some low-melting metals work in the freshmen chemistry teaching lab, which ends up having the students produce art medals using molds they have made themselves and using alloys that they have made as a lab experiment. You may recall from our last update that Mark is the newly elected president of the American Medallic Sculpture Association. He was quick to point out that there is really such a thing. Since taking the lead, Mark bolstered their fundraising and outreach efforts and created a medals poster. Mark reports, “The artists seem to love the poster and direction Mark is leading the team. In Mark’s words, put in place, and more than one of them has asked me if I just look at everything through the lens of having been in the military and where I got that kind of training. When I tell them it goes back to VMI, I get a lot of raised eyebrows—as I suspect art school is a bit different than our beloved ‘I.’” His suspicion might be correct.

federal service of over 40 years (Air Force and FBI careers).”

I attended Steve’s retirement at the J. Edgar Hoover Building, and it was a first-class event. The remarks expressed by Steve’s leadership and colleagues made it clear that with his retirement, the bureau was losing a tremendously valued and greatly respected leader and teammate.

Their second life event is the pending arrival of their seventh grandchild in mid-February to their son, Nick, and his wife, Chynna. They are expecting a baby girl. Steve and Mary are very excited for the arrival of their granddaughter. In retirement, Steve plans to “continue to focus on flag, faith, friends, and most of all, family.”

Steve Amato also shared an update of two great 2024 life events for him and Mary. “First, in mid-January 2024, I officially retired from the FBI after nearly 13 years in a second career in public service. I served in five different FBI divisions, and the last division I served in was the Victim Services Division, which provides support to victims of federal crimes. I have a combined total

Mary and Steve are planning to attend the April 2024 VMI Legacy Day with their whole family, including all the grandkids. Steve says it “is a fun day at VMI; the kids really enjoy the activities the cadets plan and execute. Our grandkids love the food in Crozet Hall, but of course, I have to tell them ‘Old Corps’ stories. Stories such as the nasty food we experienced (mystery meat and SOS), the entire Corps standing for a prayer for each meal, plus how each upper class had increasing dining hall privileges.”

Steve wants you to know that he is still selling class coins. He’s sold many after our 40th Reunion to BRs, and if any BR needs them, they can contact him to arrange purchase. Ever the gracious hosts, Steve and Mary welcome the visit of any BR traveling through northern Virginia.

I received a short update from Ivan Marcotte while he and Donna were enjoying a five-week trip to New Zealand. The is a combination of fishing, hiking, and drinking wine. Not a bad transition into retirement from 35 years with Bank of America.

Warren Groseclose sent 2024 greetings. He reports that all is well in Roanoke and that he and Sarah just returned from a week-long mission trip to the Dominican Republic with eight other members of their church. Warren said: “It was such a great experience sharing God’s word that we will go back.” He also shared a photo with him with Teddy Gottwald taken during a chance meeting New Year’s Eve at The Homestead. Teddy was there with A.P. and friends, and Warren and Sarah were on their way to a party in the grand ballroom.

Doug Wainwright sent a note with images of BRs Gene Warren, Eddie Williams, and Charlie Luck. These were taken from VMI outreach campaigns, such as “Why I VMI,” employed to inform and inspire our cadets, families, and alumni. Kevin Keilty and his brother, Tim Keilty ’86,

Class of 1983: Jack and Anne Manley’s granddaughter, Oakley Michelle Manley, daughter of Miles Manley ’16 and his wife, Karlie, born Oct. 21, 2023.

Class of 1983: Ivan Marcotte on a fishing trip in New Zealand.

are also featured in a story: “VMI Values that Last a Lifetime.” I recommend you look these up on the Alumni Agencies website.

Joe Leonard shared an update about BR Dave Powell. Dave, an acclaimed historian and author, completed another work, “The Atlanta Campaign: Volume 1: Dalton to Cassville, May 1–19, 1864.” It should be available in June.

Boomer Saxon sent a card from Hawaii. In it, he expressed his thanks for the prayers and support of his BRs and fellow alumni in the wake of the Maui wildfires.

Also checking in was Snake Arnold. Bubba Hazelgrove called him four times last year. I’ve also received “proof of life” messages from Lynn Seldon, Marty Curry, Mike Devens, Mark Waters, Duane Ray, and Greg Bartlett. On checking in, I

joke a little bit about how a simple note saying hello or nothing to report is worthy of a mention on dispatches, but it’s true. Those messages allow me to share with our class that you are active, and we can reach out to you and you to us.

Speaking of emails, the Alumni Association informed me our class has 62 invalid email addresses. That is a very high number for our class size. I understand why some of you might not wish to share your email address; however, doing so allows us to share our status with one another. Please send me your contact information so I may update our files. You might consider creating a profile (vmialumni.org/newuser) or updating your existing profile on VMI ranks (vmialumni.org/ranks). Please consider this for yourself and our class. I also ask you to double-check your home addresses. I’ve had several birthday cards returned to me due to out-of-date addresses.

In closing, I wish all of you a wonderful, happy, healthy, and rewarding 2024. We have a group of new alumni joining our ranks in May, so look for them at your chapter events this summer. The football schedule is posted, so there is opportunity to plan class gatherings in Lexington during the season. Please stay connected. I wish you and your loved ones well.

Jamie

1984

Bill Janis

Class of 1983: Jamie MacDonald (left) with Steve Amato at Amato’s FBI retirement ceremony in January 2024.

While working in Richmond from January to March during the 2024 Virginia General Assembly session, I have been able to get together on several occasions with local brother rats. In January, Tom Anthony flew to Richmond from his Southern Command post on Siesta Key, Florida, and we drove down to Lexington for the VMI versus The Citadel basketball game. At halftime, our Brother Rat Steve Hupp and his brother, Billy Hupp ’77, were honored by the Keydet Club with the Spirit of VMI Award for a lifetime of outstanding service to and support of VMI intercollegiate athletics. Joining us to show our pride in Steve for his staunch support and steadfast loyalty to the Big Red team were Brother Rats Bobby Chapman, Mark Morgan, and Steve Barsamian, who joined us for a photo with Steve.

While I’ve been working in Richmond, Steve

Class of 1984: Bill Janis at Kindred Spirit Brewing, owned by John Barefoot ’93, in Goochland, Virginia.

Class of 1984: Bill Janis (left) with Virginia National Guard Col. Rusty McGuire ’96.

and Denise Reardon have gone to great lengths to extend their gracious hospitality to me. They have invited me to dinner with their family in their beautiful new home in Goochland. Steve also convened a special evening meeting of the “brother rat breakfast club” at Café Rustica, an excellent German restaurant down the street from his law offices. Joining Steve and me for some schnitzel were

Class of 1983: Teddy Gottwald and Warren Groseclose at The Homestead in Hot Springs, Virginia.

Steve Barsamian, Steve Hupp, Frank Kollmansperger, and Mark Morgan. The companionship, conversation, cuisine, and copious consumption of German beverages resulted in an evening of unparalleled gemütlichkeit.

Not surprisingly, if you spend any time in or around Richmond, you will run into VMI alumni just about everywhere you turn. At a legislative reception honoring the Virginia Army National Guard at the Library of Virginia, I ran into an old friend, Col. Rusty McGuire ’96, the commanding officer of the 91st Cyber Brigade of the Virginia National Guard, based in Bowling Green. Rusty’s “day job” is the elected Commonwealth’s attorney for the County of Louisa. I’ve known Rusty for over 20 years and have always been impressed by his intellect, energy, and enthusiasm in the zealous performance of his duties, both in uniform and in his prosecutorial duties. That’s why I was not surprised to learn the “scuttlebutt” that Rusty will soon be promoted to brigadier general.

While headed out to castle Reardon to watch Super Bowl LVIII, I dropped by a local establishment in Goochland to pick up some beverages so as not to arrive empty-handed. Having moved to Florida before Kindred Spirit Brewing opened its doors on West Creek Parkway, I was curious to tour the facility and check it out. Imagine my surprise when I entered the production line and saw the VMI colors proudly displayed above the mash tuns and fermentation tanks. I learned that the owner was none other than John Barefoot ’93, who, regrettably, was not onsite that day. Yet another reason for me to visit again ASAP. And you should, too!

Class of 1984: Attending the VMI basketball game where Steve Hupp received the Keydet Club Spirit of VMI Award are (from left) Bobby Chapman, Tom Anthony, Steve, Bill Janis, and Mark Morgan.

lifestyle. All the best, BR – Carl.”

Finally, by the time you read these notes, we will have celebrated the 40th anniversary of our graduation from the Institute. Tune in to the next edition of the Alumni Review for a detailed recounting of the festivities in Lexington.

“Goodnight, Kevin Taliaferro, wherever you are!”

1985

Bill Wieners

’85:

Carl Romano checked in from West Palm Beach via email: “Thanks for the shout-out in the last class update. Things down here in beautiful South Florida are going well. Still living the big law life and working too much. Family is doing well. Our eldest daughter became engaged to a great young man, and they are in the midst of planning a nice ‘country-style’ wedding at a venue in North Florida. Our youngest daughter graduated college and is now taking all her required certifications to be a teacher. My wife, Elizabeth, continues to run everything (and very efficiently, I might add). It really is hard to believe that it will soon be our 40th anniversary. It truly does not seem that that much time has passed. I trust that you are doing well and enjoying the Florida

It is that time again to shake the tree and share what is happening out in the wild, wild world of ’85. I have spoken and spent time with many of our BRs since the last notes, and in general, what I can gather from talking to everyone on and off is that the Class of ’85 is doing well with lots of smiling, happy people with new grandchildren coming by the dozens. I was in Lexington recently for an extended stay and was able to get up with many BRs who reside within the county, including Gen. Wins, and he was gracious enough to share the progress being made at the Institute and all the new hires, initiatives, and quality of the Corps and Corps leaders. I was also able to spend time with many members of the Corps, including rats and upperclassmen. They are great young people I think you all would enjoy spending time with, as well; I am sure their parents are proud of them. I suggest that if any of you have the inclination, reach out to Gen. Wins via email or give him a call or show up at VMI and take a look around. Share with him your thoughts and listen to his and see all the new programs, strategic initiatives, and facilities that are coming online. I think you’ll be impressed. He is the right man at the right time—you can see the difference he has made; amazing. Also, during my visit with Gen. Wins, we attended a Keydet basketball game, and I was surprised to see Mike Herndon sitting next to Gen. Wins when I showed up. Mike had flown in from Colorado Springs just for the game, and it was great to see him and spend a little time with him. Mike is a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel still working as a government contractor

Class of 1984: Steve “Ghandi” Barsamian.

Class of 1984: Bill Janis, Steve “Ghandi” Barsamian, Steve Hupp, Frank Kollmansperger, Mark Morgan, and Steve Reardon.

and is doing very well. He is such a nice guy; I remember Mike back when he was Alpha Company commander; he was great! But when he was not around, Hugh Hill took over, and he used to yell at me and was all over me! I liked it better when Mike was in charge; I did not get yelled at all the time! Watching the game with the two of them brought back a lot of memories, as the two of them talked about the game, the strategy, and their own experiences playing at VMI. It was a familiar and joyful experience to be with the two of them while they relived and exchanged ideas as teammates as the game played out.

Sam and Amanda Maroon shared blessed news that they have a new baby boy, Lewis, who joined us in the world in January of this year. Congratulations to Sam and Amanda and big sister Emily. I am sure Lewis will matriculate and graduate with honors from Virginia Military Institute when his time comes in 18–22 years.

Congratulations to Jim Spellman and his wife, June, on their recent wedding this past October. We wish them the best!

Sylvester Davis shared that there was a gathering of BRs, including Gen. Wins, track alumni, friends, and family for Tim Harris’ big 60th birthday! Happy birthday! We are all crossing that threshold of late, and that is great news!

Palmer Hamilton and Bart Williams had a brief visit while traveling in opposite directions visiting family in parts of North Carolina. Bart is still practicing medicine in Wilmington. Palmer lives and works his corporate sales job from the farm outside of Charlotte. At their meet up, the two plus their wives discussed kids and Bart’s grandchild. The topic of Bart’s side hustle came up, as well. Blue Shark Vodka is spreading into new markets month by month; the good doctor and Palmer invite all BRs to try this smooth coastal elixir. I remember Bart telling me about his new venture, and I suggested he came out with a brand called BLUEWHALE MOA Vodka because after you have just one! You will want moa!

Paul Grgas writes in as follows: “Aloha ... Sorry I have been woefully deficient in sending in notes—enjoying paradise too much, I guess. I’ve been in Hawaii for just over three years after four years in Singapore. I am the military sealift command LNO to PACFLT (GS position) in Pearl Harbor. My direct boss is 6,000 miles away and five to six time zones ahead, so life is good. With adult children out of the house and the average day being sunny and 80, life at the beach, on the golf course, and tennis courts is pretty awesome. Anyone visiting or passing through, give a shout for

some pau hana. Mahalo, Paul.”

Mike Atkins took a minute to let me know that they have a second granddaughter, Madeline Rae, who was born in August, and that Mike Johnson went down to Tampa for a visit with him. Good to see the two of them spending time together ... always been a close team.

Borny organized a quick surprise trip for about 10 of us to go to Corolla, North Carolina, to play cards and hang out at Scotty Vaughn’s rental for a long weekend in January. It was an enjoyable time until Scotty gave everybody COVID-19.

Murph did not have to make the drive to Corolla to get COVID-19. He had COVID-19 already, and he was a scratch, but Scotty brought it along anyway for the susceptible ones of us to enjoy, but everybody’s OK. In attendance were Mark Carroll, George Halages, Mark Bornhorst, Scotty Vaughn, Tommy Greenspon, Chuck McCarthy, Neil Lowenstein, and me. Food, fun, cards, and laughs ... it was a good break to be with everyone, and Borny running a game is one of the most entertaining things you can experience ... ever! Scotty had invited us there for years, so Borny decided to surprise him, and we all just showed up. Scotty’s wife, Denise, brought him to the house “on the way for a night out,” and we ambushed Scotty when he hit the top of the stairs! It was a memorable moment as Scotty looked for weapons to defend himself and his wife! Classic!

I heard from Danks Burton, and he and the Arizona golf crew are heading to Alabama in March to kill gophers down there. It looks like the same folks that were in Arizona last year will be in Alabama this year, along with Tommy Manning making an appearance; it is always great to see him. “Who is this Manning? A trickster?”

Dan Murphy reports that his youngest daughter is engaged to be married soon and that his eldest daughter is expecting another child, making Murph a papa two times over.

Greenie informs that he is also going to be a papa again, as does Borny with two more Bornhorst babies on the way to love! You got to love it when the papas take out their phones and show pics and movies of the little ones. George Halages was sharing pics of his new addition, too. It is great to see everyone so happy and their families thriving. God bless all the new arrivals and their VMI papas.

Kerry Kirk writes in: “Closing in on one full year since ‘retiring’ from the corporate grind. But I freelance gigs here and there now and am doing several things. Some freelance writing, some brand awareness, and sales for a local (Fairfax and Loudoun Counties, Virginia) craft brewery, and more recently as an ‘ambassador’ briefing Congressional offices up on the hill for a national nonprofit. In spare time, also still on boards of the Fairfax American Legion Post and the Northern Virginia Veterans Association. Hoist reasonably frequently with Terry Ormsby and Tom Greenspon in the area. Thanks for all you do for the greatest class ever in barracks. RVM, Kerry.”

Chuck McCarthy shares. “NC State versus VMI game in September 2023. I was fortunate

Class of 1985: Chuck McCarthy, Ashley Cooper, and Danks Burton.

Class of 1985: Bart Williams and Palmer Hamilton.

to locate the Burton tailgate at NC State’s Carter-Finley Stadium and spent some time with BRs Ashley Cooper and Danks Burton.”

I got a couple of emails from Jerry Brooks. He had some medical issues that knocked him down for a bit, but they were able to take care of him. It was gallbladder-related, and he says the upside was three days in the ICU and 38 pounds gone without missing a meal. There are no small surgeries in life, and I’m sure we’ll all agree we’re happy that Jerry is OK and that he came through it like a trooper. He also had shared the following with me earlier via an earlier email: “I hope all is well with you. Life rolls along here in Belding, Michigan. Why have I been living in Michigan? 1). They don’t tax military retirement. 2). I have great VA care here in this state. 3). This is where my company had a job for me. It’s been a few years since I’ve chimed in with an update, so here goes. I had my 11th repair surgery in February 2022. It was the second surgery on the right shoulder. The first was right after graduation in August 1985. I originally injured it at ROTC Advanced Camp in 1984. I caught COVID-19 in September 2023. The one side effect? I lost 10 pounds and didn’t put it back on. In 2024, my kids will be 14, 13, 11, and 9. It seems like only yesterday that Cubby Fimian blessed my youngest child when I brought her to our reunion in 2015 as a two-month-old. I am now a senior claims specialist II with the Cincinnati Insurance Company. I’ve been with them for 28 years. They kept a job open for me despite all the years I was gone due to deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, and other places from 2001–16. I’m grateful for that. My plan is to work for them another five to seven years and then fully retire. Then I will just travel the United States and see what this great land has to share. It’s hard to believe that on March 1, 2024, I will have been retired from the Army for eight years. I turn 61 May 19, 2024. The years sure are flying by. Speaking of years flying by, our 40th Reunion will be in approximately 16 months? When did we get old? Other than that, there is not much going on. I am just enjoying a slower pace of life and spending time on various road trips with whichever kid or kids want to tag along with dad and see the sights. Take care. RVM! Jerry Brooks.”

happy to talk more offline. Have a safe and prosperous new year. RVM, Mark.”

Hayden Bayer writes in: “Hey, Bill—I wanted to drop a line and some pictures of my encounter with our BR Mick Chang out in Hawaii last month. I am happy to report that our boxing BR is still rocking the big guns and is fit as ever! Joan and I met Mick and his son for lunch near Pearl Harbor, and we were able to catch up and reminisce a little of our days back in the boxing club at the ‘I.’ Mick and his family are doing great, and his son, 14, who is pictured with us, is planning to attend VMI! We can’t wait to see him there! Great trip, and it was special to get to break bread with a special BR! Mick says will see him in 2025!”

Shane Sullivan’s son, George ’27, has broken out of the Rat Line, and I had a chance to meet him and his roommates a few weeks ago for some dinner. He seems like a great young man and hopefully will thrive at VMI with the support of his family, his BRs, and us.

J.J. Wranek shares, “Gentlemen, retired Colonel Roland Tiso ’73 asked me to share the news of his recently published book, ‘In Strange Company,’ which is available at Amazon now. In the book, Roland describes his experiences when working with multinational forces in Iraq. https://a.co/d/ 6JTp5MT. Roland plans to come to Lexington in 2024 to give a talk on his book with interested audiences. If you would like to reach out to him directly, his email address is tisojr@aol.com. I know Roland would enjoy hearing from you, especially the ’85 guys! Thanks, and please spread the word as appropriate.”

Mark George reached out recently as follows, “Hope this finds everyone doing well. Hard to

believe 2023 has come to an end, and 2024 is almost upon us. Speaking of 2024, it marks the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings. I had a chance to visit Normandy this past July—what an awesome experience. If you have not been, I encourage you to put that on your bucket list. Through my travel agency, we have reserved some cabins for a river cruise from Paris to Normandy for next May. Space is limited and going quickly (as you might imagine). If you and/or your organization would like more information, please DM me. I am

Greg Enterline shares, “Bill, thanks for sharing and a great read. We see the JES advertisements regularly on TV. Hope you are well. Missed seeing you all at the safari this year. The ladies, Stacey, and my daughters, Bethany and Kayla, set up a 60th birthday trip to Hawaii at the same time. We had a great time. We were on Maui when the wildfires hit but fortunately were in a safe area. Had just been in Lahaina three days before the fire. On another note. Just completed the Patriot Sprint Triathlon in September as a 60th birthday year challenge. Finishing was the goal this time. A long way from the podium for the Clydesdale division.”

Don Monday wrote in to share, “Just received the latest Alumni Review—thanks for the class

Class of 1985: Among those celebrating Tim Harris’ 60th birthday are Sylvester Davis and retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins, superintendent.

Class of 1985: Mick Chang and Hayden Bayer in Hawaii.

notes; it is always good to see the updates! I retired as an FBI special agent in 2018 with almost 35 years combined FBI and active Army, then worked as a GS rehired annuitant for the FBI until March 2023 when I got tired of commuting into D.C. and quit. I don’t have any plans to return to work at this time. I just started getting Army retirement pay for my reserve time when I turned 60 in May. I live on the same street as BR Jeff Fraser in Woodbridge, Virginia. His grandson, Josh Fraser, is matriculating next Saturday. My wife, Holly, and I have been planning a month-plus long camping trip in our small trailer; we are headed to Glacier and Olympic National Parks at the end of the week. I’m actively involved in bowhunting and sea kayaking. I did a weeklong sea kayaking trip from Key Largo to Key West (130 miles) about 10 years ago. We also did a five-day sea kayaking trip among the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior and one from Orca Island in the San Juan Islands looking for killer whales. Hope you are doing well!”

I have received a few emails and calls from our BRs regarding the different ’85 VMI initiatives offered by the class to support VMI, Gen. Wins (Forging 21st Century Leaders), and the Corps of Cadets. Some of our BRs had questions about the history of our class initiatives at VMI and wanted to know what they were and how much support the Class of ’85 has given to VMI over the years so they could be able to gift money to whichever class initiative they wanted. I presented this summary in the February Alumni Review so it would coincide with the 2024 VMI Day of Giving, which was held Feb. 29, 2024.

I hope you, your families, and your friends are all well. Please feel free to call or email at any time.

Bill Wieners

1986

Clint Hubbard

These notes are being formulated and submitted in the heart of the Dark Ages. Remember those times at VMI when the uniforms, the sky, the mood, the food, and everything else were gray?

Hopefully, things are not so bleak in your world today. These notes will appear in print around midMay, so let me be the first to wish one and all a happy New Market Day.

Just after the last submission, I received a great message and interchange with Tim Perez, so he will be our lead-off batter this time around. As a former Cadet newspaper editor, BR Perez framed his update around a time-warp analogy. He started things off with a self-admission that “just like we are celebrating 100 years of the Alumni Review, I’m writing for the first time in about the same timeframe.” Actually, I don’t think it’s been quite that long, but it was good to hear from him nonetheless just before the Thanksgiving holiday season, for which he offered good wishes to all of us. Knowing all of us as I do, I’m confident all the ’86 boys gave a good account of themselves at the Thanksgiving dinner tables.

Tim offers that he recently caught up with his roommate, Jim Coulter, for the first time in a long while. (Tim’s words: “I’m like the cicadas ... stay buried for 17 years then suddenly and mysteriously reappear.”) BR Perez reminded us that BR Coulter is brother-in-law to Jim “J.J.” Walker, and Tim reports the whole clan appears to be doing great with the weird exception that all of Jim Coulter’s kids went to UVA! What? Say it ain’t so, Joe ... er, Jim?!

On the career side, BR Perez will be celebrating his 11th year with Salesforce in February, running the U.S. media and communications vertical for Marketing Cloud. Tim says it keeps him busy, but by having amazing customers like Disney, Sony, Sirius XM, and all the sports teams allows him to really immerse himself in the business. Tim and his bride, Amy, relocated from Virginia to Atlanta (hometown of C.C. Schoen IV—or as Col. Nichols ’44 might say, “Sonny Schoen’s boy”) and

have been there now for seven years.

Those of you aligned with our boy (Tim) on social media will know that he is a devotee of Jackin-the-Box restaurants and, in particular, of their tacos. Whenever possible in his travels, he stops in and indulges in the tacos. I have to say, they are pretty tasty the times I’ve ever been to Jack-inthe-Box. Anyway, our BR Perez posted his indulgences on social media often enough that it caught the attention of the Jack-in-the-Box marketing department, and he was chosen as an influencer. He says they even sent him some cool swag with their logo. No surprise to his BRs; we always knew our BR Perez was a trendsetter.

The other big news from the Perez family is that their daughter made them grandparents about 20 months ago with a little girl named Hattie, and Tim says she truly has become the sun, the moon, and the stars for Tim and Amy. Their son, Connor, is expecting fatherhood around March 2024, and it will be a boy, so they are pleased to have a grandson to match their granddaughter.

Tim reports that Amy keeps busy with amateur hunter-jumper equestrian sports and is celebrating over 10 years as a certified therapeutic riding instructor. Her proud husband says she is “doing amazing work with children and veterans with disabilities to learn the therapeutic benefits of a horse ... pretty incredible stuff!”

BR Perez closed with best wishes to the BRs from Milton, Georgia. Just a superb update, Tim; thanks a million!

At a Keydet football game in the fall, I had the pleasure of bumping into Mark Muldowney of Gainesville, Virginia. Mark was with us for about two years or so then transferred to Notre Dame. Mark is living in Gainesville, Virginia, and working in Northern Virginia. He has a son who is a VMI alumnus and got in the habit of coming back to Lex Vegas for ballgames when his son was a cadet and can’t shake the habit. It was good to see you, BR Muldowney

Speaking of football, Scott Wilson is still up to his elbows in the Benedictine College Preparatory School Middies program, which is a middle school football program to identify and develop middle school players (ultimately) for the Benedictine varsity team. Scott truly enjoys this gig and the ability to impact many young players. He has a running list of players at the college and even professional level who got their start in the Benedictine Middies program. Well done, BR!

At the Richmond All-Metro Football Banquet in early 2024, BR Wilson ran into—wait for it— Scott Bazemore! BR Bazemore is evidently an

Class of 1985: Jim Spellman and his wife, Emily, on their wedding day in October 2023.

assistant coach at Atlee High School in Hanover County. Good to get a bead on a name we haven’t heard in a while. Best wishes to you two BRs and your respective teams on the gridiron this fall.

Early December was time once again for the annual Rainer Christmas party hosted by Bob and Kirby Rainer. It is always the highlight of the holiday season with Kirby’s prowess as a “kitchen magician” and BR Rainer’s skills as a bartender. The legend grows every year and has begun to attract out-of-town attendees; this year it was Dave and Shelly Miller, who came down from Waynesboro.

With BR Miller attending and BRs Gordon Poindexter and Scott Wagner (who lived in Waynesboro until about 2nd grade), there was a quorum for a meeting of the Waynesboro 1st Class Privates Association. I never received any official minutes from that meeting, but the WFCPA is a fairly loose organization, and I think it is safe to assume that nothing particularly substantive took place. When last observed, they were “throwing on next ham biscuit.” Other attendees included the usual crowd of Jay Ball, Paul Burch, Wayne Fuller, Brett Hayes, Clint Hubbard, Jamie Inman, Cy Kump, Jon Moody, Jeff Morgan, Steve Pancham, John Stevens, Tim Spivey, and Frank Trice (not a misprint, Musclehead was actually there!). Not surprisingly, Roy Woolwine spit the bit and didn’t show. We can only assume that he and Jim Jenkins were off on a raucous adventure somewhere.

Actually seeing BR Jenkins might be akin to spotting Bigfoot, Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, or even maybe Ben Walker. Well, it wasn’t Santa Claus, but late December saw a visitor to the RVA in the person of Sean “The Dude” Poremba. Sean was on the East Coast visiting relatives in the D.C. metro area and rallied down south for a visit with his former roommate, Steve Pancham BR Pancham put the word out and a few of us met up with Panch and The Dude at a local watering hole. Wayne and Courtney Fuller and yours truly enjoyed a nice visit with BR Poremba Sean is looking good and enjoying life on the left coast in Berkeley, California. He promises to come back next summer for a warm-weather visit. Thanks for the warning, er, heads up, Sean. Give us some lead, and we’ll try to rally more of the troops next time.

Now speaking of Jim Jenkins and a raucous time, the word on the street is that our boy spent a long weekend with Jamie Inman and their wives in

Las Vegas in early January. That’s the real Las Vegas, not Lex Vegas. Jamie reports a good time, very tame, he lost no money gambling, and he managed to get in a nap every afternoon while he was there. Write it down, men; if you’re looking for a big time, Jenkins and Inman know how to throw it down. I shudder to think about those boys when they get to the old folks’ home.

Another BR event in early January that could have been raucous was the annual Spivey duck hunting trip to Southeast Missouri. Tim Spivey honchos the event, and this year’s attendees included (of course) BR Spivey, Wayne Fuller, Dave Miller, and your dedicated class agent, along with (Wayne Fuller’s protégé) Ben Lilly ’93 and Gordon Fogg, USNA ’86, who is a childhood friend of BR Spivey. We shot a lot of bull and a few liquor shooters, but all the ducks in the Mississippi flyway are safe for another year. This trip is always a great time with good fellowship regardless of any duck-shooting.

Taco Tuesday is still the rage in the RVA, and remember that all are welcome; if you can schedule yourself in Richmond on a Tuesday, we’d love to see you. In the birddog department, Paul Burch found another new-to-the-area BR and brought him into the taco Tuesday outings. Remi Thompson has relocated to the Richmond area to be closer to some family members. BR Burch ran into Remi at some point and brought him into the local fold. BR Thompson has been glad to join the weekly BR revelry, and we’ve enjoyed having him. See? You never know who you might see on any given Tuesday. Although we’re still waiting for BR Max Morehead.

Speaking of taco Tuesday, a previous issue of the class notes included a picture of Roy Woolwine and Gordon Poindexter. We took the picture of BR Woolwine because he doesn’t show

up but about once per quarter. BR Poindexter was taking a 3rd Class privilege and cutting his eyes. What, pray tell, could Gordon have been looking at? Well, it may or may not have been Steve Pancham, who may or may not have been present, and if he was, may or may not have stepped out of the photo because he was allegedly just running a quick errand to get some gas in his car. The full story is certified, but it ends with BR Pancham taking about two-and-a-half hours to “get gas in his car” and included a bar tab and some chicken wings.

In late January, Fork Union Military Academy hosted a reception in Richmond for their new president, our very own retired U.S. Navy Capt. Mark Black. Several BRs attended the event: Keith Byron; Paul Burch; Gordon Poindexter; Tim Spivey; and your dedicated class agent, who endeavors never to miss an open bar. BR Black gave a short, impromptu speech about his plan for FUMA and that “their future is in their past”—that is, trumpeting and standing on the success of the past to make the way for continued success in the future.

FUMA has a proud and successful 125-year history, and we may be assured they are in good hands with our BR Black in the driver’s seat. Fork Union has selected a good man, and I’m proud as punch to be his BR. Look for great things to come from Fork Union Military Academy under the leadership of our BR Mark Black

We gotta give some props and acknowledge Keith Byron as a world-class BR. We’ve already told the tales of his visits to Richmond to see his daughter at VCU and how those visits often coincide with taco Tuesday. He made a special trip down from Northern Virginia for the FUMA reception to help honor and support BR Mark Black. Well done, Lord Byron; you’re a fantastic brother rat.

Just at the buzzer before submission, I had a quick phone conversation with Brett Hayes. BR Hayes was fresh back from a trip to Mobile, Alabama, for the version of Mardi Gras, and while he was there, he connected with David Sheckells, Cameron “Chuckles” Stephens, and Thornton Stephens ’84. That is a listing of the dean’s other list, if there ever was one! I’m kind of surprised we didn’t catch news of that outing on CNN or some other 24-hour news channel. Oh

well, as they used to say in Cocke Hall, “No blood, no foul.”

All right, men; such as it is, that’s the report for this quarter. Hope 2024 is

Class of 1986: Tim Perez and his family.

shaping up well for you and yours. Reach out to a BR and/or your class agent to share an update; keep those bonds tight! Take care, brother rats.

And if you see Henry Ingram or Kenny “Tadpole” Walpole, tell them their BRs said hello.

1987

WilliamJ.McCarthy

Brother Rats,

Another 90 days have passed, and I am grateful for all the conversations I had with so many of you. As always, thank you for sharing, and I look forward to seeing and speaking with as many of you as possible. I appreciate all the group photos and updates that I am receiving.

Scott Armstrong has been CFO of Coke One North America for the last eight years. His three kids are scattered around the country. Scott indicated that he may join the RV club in 2024 in the near future. His two boys graduated from VMI and are doing well. His roommates, Carl Hardee, Randy Janey, and Mark Cranford, try to get together once a year. This past summer, their families met in York, Maine, for some fun, relaxation, and lobster. Jason Shepard made the trip, as well. Unfortunately, Randy Janey was unable to make the 2023 event. Randy moved a few years back from Belgium to Santa Monica, California. I had the pleasure of getting the guided tour and having some fantastic meals with Randy back in the day.

Carl Hardee and I caught up by phone, as well. Surprisingly, there is a small contingent of BRs in the Tidewater area, but Carl and his family have made the most of living near his hometown. Carl is the CEO of a full-service real estate development, construction, and property management company.

Dean Kratzenberg wrote in, and we also caught up by phone and email. “Things are going great out here in the West. Timing is everything. Todd Burdette came into Denver Saturday for work in the city, and I came down from the mountains to beat the winter storm and fly out to D.C. for work. Just a little coordination, and we met up for dinner in downtown with our wives, Brenda (for Todd) and Dawn (for me). Last night was also the Festival of Lights in Denver, so it made for a great backdrop to catch up. Ski season is kicking here and there is always a BR room in the Rockies.”

Dean lives in Dillon, Colorado, which is not far

Class of 1987: Wilson Brown and Dean Kratzenberg, former Company E rat roommates, in front of the 10th Mountain Division Soldier Statue in Vail, Colorado, in February 2024.

from Breckenridge and four other resorts. We discussed a possible ski outing next year if we can get a bunch of BRs to join in on the fun. I know Jay Nagle, Wilson Brown, Todd Arris, Monte Ferguson, Mike Williamson, me, and others still strap the boards on during the winter, so a trip West seems logical and logistically possible. Payne Lannom is out West, as well, so we have multiple states to choose from if we can herd some cats.

Wilson Brown caught up with the Kratzenbergs in Vail, Colorado. There should be a photo accompanying this write-up that they took a photo in front of the Soldier Statue of the 10th Mountain Division. Wilson and Dean were Echo Company rat roommates, so it was great to get them back in touch.

Had a great conversation with Rob Sweaney Rob ran a few different companies over his career and is now retired down in Williamsburg. He has stayed in touch with his roommates Neal Naff, Cliff Bunn, and Perry Jones. Rob is doing a lot of travel and serving in an advisory capacity to other companies. Glad to see all that time in Nuckols paid off for Rob.

Talked to Steve Owens. He lives in Ashburn, Virginia, and has been with Verizon for 18 years after spending eight years at MCI after his eight years in the Army. He has two kids who are both out of college and spends time down at Lake Anna. Steve said he hangs out with Reynolds Renshaw on occasion. Reynolds has a place on Afton Mountain not far from my place at Wintergreen. We have yet to connect when we are both there at the same time, but I hope to do so soon. If you have not been to Route 151 near Wintergreen, it is the microbrewery and winery superhighway.

I spoke with Al Cowan during this quarter. When I first caught Al, he was in Costco with his family, so we reconnected a bit later. He is still in the wholesale distribution business contractors. I promise a better update, but I am running up against the clock.

Had a great conversation with my former neighbor and old buddy, Brett Shepard. Hard to believe, but when we were 26 years old and living in Atlanta there were three VMI ’87 rats living on the same street! Flagler Avenue in Midtown Atlanta. Todd Williamson first moved into a house, and when Laurie and I went to visit, we liked the street so much, we bought a house. Brett then came to visit me, and he bought the house across the street! Three VMI BRs living in a huge city like Atlanta and living on the

Class of 1987: Jon McLean and Brad Maak in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Class of 1987: Bill Wanovich, Adrian Garcia, and Paul Russo in Bluffton, South Carolina, in January 2024.

same street in Midtown. This was around the 1996 Olympics, so it was a really fun time to be there.

Brett still lives in Atlanta with his wife, Leigh, and he recently retired from Georgia Power. The Shepards will be relocating shortly to the Asheville, North Carolina, area where Brett is now repairing guitars and looking for a band to join. The last band he played in was a Cars cover band, which was slightly softer than the punk rock he used to play in his room with Paul Duray. We had a good laugh remembering his band at VMI, which was called the Factors. I think he spent too much time in math classes as an electrical engineering major to come up with that name.

John Poast had a great 20-year career in the Air Force and now works in the corporate world running IT teams to implement Microsoft applications. He and his family live in southern Utah. He stays in touch with his roommates, Mike Evans and Robert Burns. Mike shared some of his travel journeys across Europe on our Facebook page while he has been stationed in Germany.

Ricky Cruze and his wife are living in Lexington, and he is still the on-air radio voice of the VMI Keydets. During the day, Ricky works for a company that helps companies remove birds and wildlife from buildings. I am sure everyone has been in a Home Depot or Costco and seen birds in the lofts. The Cruze children also live in the Rockbridge County area. His daughter is a nurse in the emergency room at Augusta Regional in Waynesboro. This is important intel for those of us who brave the ski slopes of Wintergreen because that is where the meat wagon goes when you get hurt on the slopes. Ricky said he sees Troy Clarke and Keith Coffey time and again. We will try to pick a weekend or two to try and get some fellas together in Lexington.

Keith Coffey retired from the police department in Buena Vista a few years back. His son recently graduated from the “I,” and Keith has come out of retirement to work security at the hospital in Lexington.

I talked to Matt Sutton; he and his wife, Karen, own Uncle Willy’s Candy Shoppe in Camden, Maine. Matt retired from the border patrol and has enjoyed life in Maine. His two daughters live nearby. If you are heading north, swing by and say, “Hi” to Matt!

Kurt Vogan will be living in Lexington, South Carolina, by the time this

gets published. I caught Kurt as he was packing up the house in Ellicott City, Maryland, to move closer to his two grandchildren. Of his three kids, two live in the Columbus, South Carolina, area. I pointed out that we have a few residents in the Palmetto state, so expect a call from Bill Wanovich, Mark Bartholf, Drew Campi, Bob Buxton, and Dr. Paul Russo

Pete Hanson and I had a great Alpha Company trip down memory lane. Pete and his son share a legal practice in Warrenton, Virginia, covering all topics related to rural life. Pete lives on 25 acres with five horses, some cattle, and some goats. He is an active rider, and like many of our BRs, he enjoys farm life. Pete stays in touch with Alpha stud Curt Schoonmaker

I made my quarterly trek to Franco’s Fine Clothiers in Richmond to see my favorite haberdasher, Kevin Reardon. Kevin has kept me looking sharp throughout my professional career.

Kevin had recently had dinner with a Delta Company contingent in Richmond that regularly gets together. Mark Barth, Rob Hinson, Charlie Early, and a few others get together with regularity. I have tried to invite myself to this brain trust but with no success.

I called Kevin Sincavage a few days before this was due, and he was unable to call me back, as he texted me, “I can’t talk right now; Father John Boughton is over for a visit!” I caught up with Father John this quarter. He is now general vicar of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal Order St. Crispin Friary in the Bronx, New York.

Neal Robison is living his best retired life in Yorktown, Virginia, with his lovely bride, Rhonda. Neal and Rhonda have a very closeknit family and love being surrounded by kids and grandkids. As of this writing, I can attest to the fact that they are still celebrating the Super Bowl victory by the Kansas City Chiefs.

Finally, I hosted the second annual VMI ’87 Christmas gathering at a local watering hole. The turnout was exceptional, and I am grateful that we all got to spend time together. Unfortunately, the lighting was insufficient to get photos to share in the Review, but we did post a bunch on the Facebook page. Amazingly, most of us live within 15 miles of each other, and you would think getting everyone together would be easy and often, but it is not. Jon Eubanks had the longest haul, making an hour drive each way to participate. Jon runs a manufacturing facility for Emerson and lives in Louisa County.

Joe Massie has been practicing law in Richmond since graduating from Wake Forest Law School. Fellow track star, Henry Loving, made a quick flyby to the event. Henry is the proprietor of Lee’s Fried Chicken in Richmond. Absolutely the best fried chicken in the Commonwealth. He also has his hands in a lot of businesses, so we were blessed that he made it by the party.

Howell Taylor returned for the second year in a row, and it was great to catch up with him. We used to cross paths at the gym, but it had been a while. Ashley Abernathy was able to attend, and coincidentally, his son works at the brewpub where we met.

Cliff Bunn drove in from Ashland, Virginia, to join the festivities. I had not spoken with Cliff since graduation, so it was great to hear what he has been doing.

Glenn Ferguson came up from Halifax

Class of 1987: Drew Campi, Kevin Barker, and Kelly Campi in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Class of 1987: Bill McCarthy and Jack McCarthy at The Palms in Lexington, Viginia.

County to join in, as well. Ferg and I have been getting together more regularly now that he is retired (for now). He has a bunch of acres down near his hometown and spends time on the tractor or the deer stand. We tried to convince Jack McCarthy to hop in the car with Ferg, but he couldn’t play hooky on a Thursday. Ted Fishback was not flying for Jet Blue that day, so he was able to surprise us with presence. I can’t remember if we had him do his Sully impersonation, but Ted always cracks me up when we are together. The aforementioned Delta crew was there as well. Mark Barth, Rob Hinson, Charlie Early, Kevin Reardon, and Bruce Bones had fun catching up. Greg Scott, Matt Morgan, and Chris Stathis rounded out the group. I know I am forgetting someone, but needless to say, we will keep it going.

Jon McLean has been using his VMI Alumni Mobile App with great success, and I will continue to recommend all of you get it on your phone. It is a great way to find BRs when you are traveling across the country and the globe. Jon recently got promoted to captain of a bigger plane for American Airlines and is now predominantly doing long-haul trips across the pond. He caught up with Craig Covert in London on a recent stay. He also caught up with Brad Maak on a trip to Las Vegas. I caught up with Brad on his birthday, and he is still loving living there and was getting ready for the Super Bowl weekend that is taking place the following weekend. I am sure he will get his picture with Taylor Swift for the next Review.

Speaking of pilots, I rang Mike Upton when he was on a layover in New Orleans. Mike is also a pilot for American Airlines out of Dallas, Texas. He stays in touch with Chip Hancock and Wil Trammell

Scott Jewell and I have been in regular contact in the past quarter as we settle the books on the past reunion and look forward to future events. I cannot say enough great things about Scott and his dedication to VMI, whether it be at the local chapter level, the New Cadet Recruiting events, or the time and effort he gives the best class in barracks. Scott not only helps kids find their path at VMI, but he visits them every year, sends cookies, and is just a big ol’ rat daddy! Selfless is the best word to describe his actions, and I am amazed at his energy.

As always, I appreciate all the input, support, and participation that you provide me. I have more to say, but I am going to save that for the next issue.

In the Spirit, Dog

1988

John Keppeler

Brother Rats,

I hope everyone had a joyous Christmas and was able to enjoy the holidays! This is my first submission for class notes as your new class agent, so I am going to ask for grace up front.

We had a pretty good showing for our last Northern Virginia lunch of 2023. In early December we had lunch in National Harbor with the hopes of luring some of our BRs from Maryland to break bread with us, and it seemed to work out well. In addition to regulars like Hugh McMenamin, Ed Wetherell, Lew Sigmon, Richard Stone, and Hugh Brien, we were grateful to have Mike Bryant, John Williams, Mike Owen, Scott Griffea, Sam Russell, and Roy Hill join us.

Our second Northern Virginia lunch of the quarter was held at a little German restaurant in Fredericksburg, Virginia, to accommodate our BRs further south. If you are in the Northern Virginia area and are not getting the lunch invites, just send me an email, and I will add you to our lunch distro list.

Bill Cronenberg made one of his ventures down to Virginia in January and stayed with Ed Wetherell. As many of you know, Bill lives in Estonia with his wife, Kati, and their children. However, he travels back a few times a year for business and to visit family/friends. Bill, Kati, and

their children are all doing well in Estonia. Of note, Bill’s oldest son, William, is graduating from high school in Estonia this year and will be going into the Estonia military for his compulsory service. To celebrate his recent visit, a few of us (Brian Egloff, Ed Wetherell, and Derek McFarland) and our better halves got together for dinner near Leesburg. I hadn’t seen Brian in a long time. Brian is the chief medical officer at Fort Detrick’s Barquist Army Clinic in Maryland. Brian has been at Fort Detrick for about seven years now and says he runs into Avery Davis now and again.

In addition to the above, I have had the pleasure of hearing from a few BRs lately. I spoke to Bill Burns. Bill really didn’t have much to report other than he is doing well, still up in Boston “Southie”

Class of 1988: At Clyde’s Willow Creek Farm in Broadlands, Virginia, are (from left) Debbie and Brian Egloff, Sheila and Ed Wetherell, Bill Cronenberg, Carrie and Derek McFarland, and Carolyn and John Keppeler.

Class of 1988: Andy Tate ’92 (left) and Sam Tate attend the rugby World Cup in Paris, France, in September 2023.

drinking with all the Irishmen and having a good time. I also spoke to Chris Goerner; like many of us, he and his wife, Teresa, are “empty nesters” now. Chris is still enjoying his duties as assistant pastor at Calvary Memorial Church in Roanoke, Virginia. By the time you get this Review, Chris will already have undergone a rather serious medical procedure. Hopefully, everything goes well; I just ask that you keep Chris and his family in your prayers. For those of you who are not on Facebook or haven’t heard via other means, Randy Williamson is in the hospital with some pretty bad health

issues. Please keep Randy and his family in your prayers, as well!

Sam Tate sent in a couple of pictures. Sam, Derek McFarland, Joey Swink, and Wayne Sinclair began competing together about three years ago in local International Defensive Pistol Association competitions. Sam says it is a great way to share a common sport, get outdoors, and most importantly, spend quality time with BRs. Joey regularly ranks in the top 10 at his local club.

Sam and his brother, Andy Tate ’92, were able to enjoy a two-week trip to France this past fall for the 2023 Rugby World Cup. The trip included five international matches, one semi-pro match, and visits to France, Lyon, Lille, and Canterbury. The rugby was great, the company was fantastic, and the food was awesome.

Through Kirk Dewyea, I received an update from Kultawat Vaijai. As most of you know, Kultawat is the Chief of Defense Forces for Thailand and welcomes BRs and their family to visit Thailand before his retirement in September 2025.

Of course, I see Scott Stachelek and Lew Sigmon quite a bit, as we all live in Stafford, Virginia, and hunt together. After years of searching, Scott finally found a 162-acre farm in Monterey, Virginia, that met his requirements for hunting and land management. Both Lew and I have visited Scott’s farm and can attest to its beauty and the quaintness of the little town of Monterey.

Well, I am sorry I don’t have more to report. I will try to get better at reaching out and getting updates from our BRs. That said, I welcome updates and

pictures from you in the form of phone calls, texts, emails, or best of all, in person. I can be reached at 5440-429-9041 or john.keppeler@gmail.com.

RVM and Semper Fi!

Rock

1989

David A. Martin

Class of 1988: Gathering for lunch at the Cadillac Ranch in National Harbor, Maryland, in December 2023 are (from left) Mike Bryant, Hugh McMenamin, John Williams, Ed Wetherell, Mike Owen, Scott Griffea, Sam Russell, John Keppeler, Lew Sigmon, Roy Hill, Richard Stone, and Hugh Brien.

Class of 1988: Attending an IDPA event in Rivanna, Virginia, in fall 2023 are (from left) Joey Swink, Derek McFarland, and Sam Tate.

Class of 1988: At Deutschland Downtown in Fredericksburg, Virginia, are (from left) Wayne Sinclair, Sam Tate, Brian Egloff, Ed Wetherell, Lew Sigmon, Mike Beyer, Hugh McGloin, Chris Long, and John Keppeler.

Class of 1989: Steve Breheny visits Antarctica.

Class of 1989: Jon Davis and James Black.

Doane,

Frid-

1990

Daren Payne

Greetings, Esteemed Classmates,

As I write this up, the rats have just broken out, the Dark Ages are in full swing, and we are still six weeks out from spring break. Unfortunately, I’m writing these notes on the road and at the last minute, so please forgive my brevity up front if I have left off anyone.

Among the first to check in this time was Greg Hatchett with the great news that he was promoted to the Senior Executive Service with the National Nuclear Security Agency with rank equivalent to a two-star general/flag officer! Greg is doing well and says he lives within bicycling distance of Kenny Robinson and Doug Spitz in Northern Virginia. Please join us in congratulating Greg on this huge accomplishment.

I also heard from Barry Johnson and Kelly Bledsoe, who attend the same church in Salem, oddly enough. Kelly is still in the electrical power business with American Electrical Power, and Barry is now with Waco. I also heard

from Kelly’s old roommate, Karl Powers, who reported from Alaska that his son was accepted to VMI and also applied to the USAFA and West Point. I’m hoping Karl will be able to steer him our way. Barry was good enough to let me know

Class of 1990: At the VMI basketball game versus The Citadel in January 2024 are (front row, from left) Hunter Trumbo, Chip Chenery, Raynor Garey, Matt Schwartzmann, Matt Hemenez, Daren Payne, Mike Mullori, Ramil Ibañez, John Aydlette, (back row) Paul Kricorian, Kelly Musick, Doug Henderson, and Mike Herbaugh. Present but not pictured are Charles Plageman and Ken Kovac.

Class of 1989: Kent

Mitch

ley, and Harrison Bresee after a successful duck hunt.

Class of 1989: Sean and Natalie Raborn mountain biking in Australia.

Class of 1990: Mike Morelock and Brian Tate in the luxury box at a Carolina Panthers game.

that Mark Craft has a son playing college basketball at Xavier University in Ohio; the apple didn’t fall far from the tree, apparently, as the younger Craft is 6 feet, 9 inches.

The Citadel basketball game had a large turnout of BRs for the weekend. Big thanks to BR John Aydlette, who has been spearheading these basketball game weekends for quite a few years now. Others in attendance during the weekend but not in the picture were John Lanzillotta; Ken Kovac, who was there in his official capacity as an escort for the director of the Secret Service visiting VMI; and Charles Plageman, who rode in from Richmond, as well as local Joey Jones. Was a really great time, as everyone closed the Devil’s Backbone and then adjourned to the Palms following the big victory Saturday afternoon.

On the conservative group chat, I’m regularly hearing from Dave McGraw up in Pennsylvania; Jeff Kaster, who is on the mend from some surgery; and Jamie Setze, who was planning to host Paul Kricorian for the VMI versus LSU baseball series.

I saw via LinkedIn that Bill Ator is still in Colorado but has a new job in business development, as did Stefan Herzog down in Florida with Northrop Grumman, while Brig. Gen. Weedon Gallagher started a new civilian job as advisory council member with Patriot Point, a veteran service organization. I also see Tony Baker (Richmond), Bill Madison (Richmond), Chris Whittaker (Texas), Jim Dufford (West Virginia), Dave Amsden (Massachusetts), Jeff Millican (Korea), and Donnie Roberts (Michigan), who are all over the country and remaining active and successful in their respective business and career ventures when not commenting on VMI-related stuff.

I’ve also heard from most of our rat parents and those with upperclassmen in the Corps. The list now includes Doug Henderson, Chip Chenery, and Rich Duke with rats, and upper-class parents are Brian Tate, Kevin Hanford, Buddy Garbett, Ramil Ibanez, A.J. Johnson, and I’m sure there’s someone I’m missing, but we are well-represented.

Locally, I’ve recently been in contact with John Burleson, who is looking to power down on work and farming now that he and the wife have no kids at home. Also got a note from Keith Kornegay, who is still with the health department, and talked to Neil Whitmore, who was elected chairman of the Rockbridge County School Board. Part-time local resident Pete

Mantz was also in town in January, and I usually see part-time residents Ramon Williams and Pat O’Leary in the course of my daily duties. I’m still on the lookout for Tom Tolley and Chris Larlee, who’ve been MIA lately.

Right before Christmas, I was able to get in another hunting trip with Rob Gudz and Bill Gaspar down in Hanover. It was great, as this was our first trip after a two-year hiatus while Rob and Bill were consumed with work and triathlon training. We killed a good number of birds, and no one got shot, so it was a successful day.

BR Morelock sent me the cool photo of his time as a guest in Brian Tate’s box for a recent Carolina Panthers game. Both are still looking sober and dapper—at least in the picture. Mike also told me he ran into BR Maj. Gen. Bill Bowers down in North Carolina recently.

Carlos Fernandes passed along the great news that he has published a book that is going nationwide. It’s on Amazon, and I believe in Barnes & Noble, as well as some other outlets. Big congrats on that huge amount of work, and enjoy all those royalties, BR.

Other guys checking in with me during the course of the reporting period and over the holidays have been Andy Kvasnicka (Prince George); Sal Bora, who is still in California; Brian McCarthy, who is out West and stays in touch with Mike Trahar (parts unknown); my roommates, Hoover (New Hampshire), Ratliff (a mountain top outside Roanoke), and Rich Mehl (Wilmington, North Carolina); and also Bob Butler and Dave Stanley, who shared some classic photos of Breakout from 1987.

For me, the job is jumping here at VMI with construction about to pick up in a major way, with nearly $270 million worth of construction in planning and design right now. I also stay busy with my additional duties as a TAC officer, room inspector, etc. It is really remarkable to see these great young people in their unguarded moments from the inside and observe what a great product VMI—despite its changes over the years—still produces for America.

Finally, start saving the September to October timeframe for 2025 for our 35th Reunion, which will be here before we know it. Having missed our 30th, I’m hoping we can get another record-setting attendance like we had at our 25th. Please hit me up if you are not getting my weekly email updates so I can get everyone roped in for our 35th Reunion. Thanks for all you do in support of each other, our class, and VMI!

Daren

1991

Chuck Story

Chris Edmonston

News and notes from around the class:

Lots of legacy news from barracks: Steve Dudar’s son graduated from the “I” in December. Congrats, Steve! David Ahrens’ daughter, Tess ’27; Pat Warner’s son, Ryland ’27; and Charlie Schindler’s son, Joshua ’27, broke out of the Rat Line about a week before these notes were written. Congrats to the newest class in barracks, 2027! My son, Ian ’25, along with Noah Ahrens ’25, received their rings this past fall. Noah has also been selected to join his brother, Owen ’24, on the Honor Court. Owen recently signed a contract with the Marines and will be commissioning this spring.

George Inge wrote to me earlier this fall that he met up for a fishing trip in Colorado. Biff Beale, Chris Gideons, Pat Warner, and Mike George all made the trip. According to George, they successfully avoided getting arrested. Speaking of George, if you missed the write-up from the Alumni Association, check it out. George and two other alumni, Guy Conte ’75 and Whitney Matthews ’07, have formed a joint venture called Taste Supply, a business-to-business venture for restaurant and catering entrepreneurs.

Chris Cruz had an epic meltdown for the ages on social media to celebrate the collapse of his beloved Dolphins. The new puppy ruling their house may have triggered some of his outburst.

Rob Sayegh recently got married. Life in Arizona is treating him well.

Speaking of Arizona, Rich Coupland and I have spent quite a bit of time working in the sausage factory of Moody Hall trying to make the world a better place for grumpy old alums like you guys.

Dap Tillery has been working with Brandon Bissell ’98 and me to help cadets brush up their resumes and learn how to make use of the alumni network. We recently had one of our first success stories. We helped Emilio Johnson ’23 (son of A.J. Johnson ’90) land a job with a company in Richmond.

Brent Wertz and I have traded a few texts here

and there trying to catch up. He’s running his little corner of the world in central Florida.

The Wanovich and Hyde families have recently entered the ranks of new grandparents.

This past fall was a great opportunity to be on post and see a lot of familiar faces. If you’ve been thinking about coming back to post, give it a shot this fall. There are a lot of legacies in barracks right now with very familiar names. If you’re lucky, you can park next to T. Mebane and his crew; they travel heavy with food and good spirits. Classes from ’88–’98 are well represented right now, and the parking area in front of Moody has a lot of familiar faces walking around. Pick a reunion weekend and join us.

Rob mentions some of the VMI traits that have helped him in his career are resiliency, honesty, and discipline. “When I’ve dealt with vendors over the years, my VMI training helps me cut through all the clutter and focus on those people who will bring value to the company.”

I’m turning the keyboard over to my co-editor, as Chris Edmonston contributes another in his fantastic series of interviews with our BRs.

I live close to Rob, and he was also one of my roommates at VMI. We sat down recently, and I asked him: What led you to go to VMI? He replied, “Mike Shupp (’81), was a Marine lieutenant stationed with my father at the Naval Academy. He showed me a VMI Bomb with pictures of ’81 breaking out on the stoops. He was so enthusiastic about VMI, I decided to check it out.”

Rob continues, “I visited VMI in December 1986, and a 1st Classman took me into barracks— rats were getting flamed big time. (Rob is quick to remind us it was because ’90 sucks, and they deserved every bit of it). I thought the place looked like a prison—and for some silly reason I still wanted to go.

“Initially, I went NROTC, but Spike Powers changed my mind, and I decided to go Army. I went to airborne school and eventually got a National Guard infantry slot. I served in the Guard for 10 years and got out in 2001.” Rob did annual training in Germany twice, but other than that, never left the States.

While in the Guard, Rob decided to marry his VMI girlfriend, Maureen Gauge, in ’93. Rob started his career at M&M Mars as a sales rep until ’95 slinging candy. (He was very popular.) They lived in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, where their first child, Lydia, was born. They moved to Severna Park, Maryland, in ’97. Rob switched from candy to drugs—like most devoted family men—working briefly for Novartis, then on to SmithKline, where he worked until 2015. Rob and Maureen had two more children, Hugh and John.

One of his favorite barracks war stories is the time he and Chris Izakov were caught with alcohol in barracks by Capt. Lovejoy right before ’90’s graduation. “Lovejoy went around barracks dumping trashcans over and had us stay up all night cleaning it up. Hey, it beats getting suspended.”

Rob and Maureen are now entering the empty nest phase, and they are contemplating downsizing and moving to the beach. “We’ve put our current house on the market and have rented a house in Atlantic Beach, North Carolina, for the summer; we’ll see if that lifestyle fits our long-term goals.”

Rob regularly attends reunions and hangs out with the 422 crew, Jack Daniels, Martin Heinze, and Kevin Rumsey (Brian Markert moved too far West), and Jim Pugel. He lives near Chris Isakov and me; we grab a beer from time to time.

Rob ended our conversation by saying, “VMI formed the basis for my adult life—from my marriage, to my friends, and certainly how I live my life. I can’t imagine having gone anywhere else. I thought the Rat Line ended in February ’88, but it keeps going every single day! My VMI experience has helped me throughout the journey.”

1992

William Woodward

BRs,

Here are the latest updates from our classmates:

By the time you are reading this, our honorary BR and longtime VMI band director, Col. John Brodie (Hon), will have just retired, ending his 36 years of service to the Institute. John reports that he is “so excited and very busy during this last semester. The band is going to perform in Savannah, Georgia, for the St. Patrick’s Day parade, the Glee Club is going to Puerto Rico for a week during spring break, as well as all the other myriad of gigs on and

Class of 1992: Austin, Andrew, Harold, Amy, and Thomas Stills.

Class of 1992: The McCrary family at Anne McCrary’s high school graduation. Pictured are Mark, Anne, Mandy, Kate, and Nora.

Class of 1991: Biff Beale, Mike George, George Inge, Chris Gideons, and Pat Warner in Colorado.

off post that make VMI, VMI.”

Harold Stills’ wife, Amy, sent in a picture as well as an update on Harold since his stroke last year, saying, “Harold’s walking around more and even climbed the steps into his parents’ house to watch the Super Bowl with his dad. Austin ’26 is a color corporal and is in Band Company and the Glee Club. Middle son Thomas is a senior in high school and enlisted in the Marine Reserve. He’ll go to boot camp in June. He plans to go to community college next January and will hopefully matriculate to VMI in August 2025. Youngest son Andrew is a freshman in high school and is following in Harold’s footsteps; he’s a percussionist and also plays the piano. We’re doing well and look forward to being at VMI for Colonel Brodie’s retirement.”

Brian “Mac” McCarthy sent me an update and picture in which he said, “I got an early release from Europe for good behavior, leaving about nine months before Dave Womack, and returned to Fort Riley, Kansas. While in Europe, I commanded America’s 1st Brigade (1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, also known as the Devil Brigade) during its most recent extended deployment, which overlapped the initial Russian invasion of Ukraine. After giving up command of the Devil Brigade in July 2023, I moved to the Quad Cities of Illinois and Iowa for a tour of duty as chief of staff at First Army Headquarters. In between jobs, we road-tripped in Colorado, Yellowstone National Park, and Mount Rushmore. If anyone is out this way, our backyard is the Mississippi River, and you can take a kayak through the lock! Got to see roommate Al McKinnon at Fort Liberty, North Carolina, last week and planning to get back to VMI for Brodiefest in April.”

were able to attend the visitation or funeral for Wilkes Lunsford.

Recently, I have been tracking Andy Tate via Facebook as he traveled around Great Britain for the Six Nations rugby tournament. Andy reports, “I decided to head over to the UK for some of the Six Nations rugby tournament. I was able to get

tickets for two matches, Wales versus Scotland in Cardiff and Scotland versus France in Edinburgh. Also spent a couple of days in London visiting friends. If anyone ever has the chance to get over for a Six Nations match, they should. The atmosphere and fans are awesome, and the beer is great.”

Billy Waters sent in an update and photo from early September 2023 where he and other BRs gathered in Charlottesville for Mark Loving’s daughter’s wedding. The BRs rented a farmhouse outside of town for some great camaraderie. In attendance were Tim and Courtney Jordan; Taylor Holt; Jerry and Kristen Allen; Billy and Laura Waters; Chad and Mariah Smith ’93; and Rob Mizelle, who doubled as the group’s chef!

Tim Jordan’s wife, Courtney, sent in an update in early December 2023 from a recent gathering a few BRs had linking up with Allan Lunsford in Richmond for brunch after the tragic loss of his son, Wilkes, in late October. The brunch was organized by Rob Mizelle, who sadly was then not able to make it due to a work conflict. In attendance were Tim and Courtney; Luns and his girlfriend, Chris; and Todd and Val Washington, as well as Scott Council and his girlfriend, Laura. Thanks so much to these BRs and others who

Dave Womack responded to the birthday wishes I sent him. He commented on how much he enjoys our class camaraderie. Hopefully, everyone saw Matt Ott’s postings on the class Facebook page announcing Dave’s selection for major general in the U.S. Army, as well as Dan Shipley’s selection for major general in the U.S. Marine Corps. Congrats to Dave and Dan on their well-deserved promotions as they continue their distinguished military careers.

Kenner Coon sent in an update in which he said, “I thought I would share my passion and hobby for the past nine years, since it is something a little different that most people don’t do. I bought a 2014 Ford F-150 Raptor, just because I thought it looked cool and then joined a Raptor Club in 2015 called San Antonio Raptor Owners and started doing offroad Raptor runs with Texas Raptor Runs, which were just for fun to see what our trucks could do off road. That quickly led to many upgrades over the years, including Icon Stage 4 suspension and a Whipple Supercharger that produces 703HP at the engine, and many more cosmetic and functional upgrades. I then started racing competitively over the past three years in Texas Off-Road Racing Enthusiasts, taking first place the first season, second place the second season, and first place again last season. We race nine times a year, about once a month except the hot summer months, and get points for placing in each race and the one with the most points wins the season. There is nothing like the

Class of 1992: Courtney and Tim Jordan, Todd and Val Washington, Allan Lunsford with girlfriend Chris, and Scott Council with girlfriend Laura having brunch in Richmond, Virginia, in December 2023.

Class of 1992: Kenner Coon winning the Texas Off-Road Racing Enthusiasts Championship.

1993

Lincoln Swineford

have made and am thankful for the experiences that my VMI education has provided me.”

Update: Chris is now retired and out there living his best life. I think we’re all grateful for our VMI experiences, Chris. Congratulations on the conclusion of a great Army career, and good luck in the next step!

feeling of flying through the air like the Dukes of Hazzard and landing like you are landing on an air mattress. Come on down to Texas and I will give BRs a thrill ride that you will never forget.” Kenner sent in a photo of him winning the recent TORE Championship.

Mark McCary sent in an update from Texas in which he said his daughter, Anne, graduated from high school last year and is proudly attending Texas A&M as an Aggie (although not in its Corps of Cadets, which has a close connection to the Institute)! Anne is majoring in business and hopes to run her own gym one day, as she is a “solid gymnast, pole vaulter, and all-around athlete, but an even better coach,” per her proud dad! Mark and Mandy have two other daughters, Kate and Nora. Mark sent in a photo of his family at Anne’s high school graduation.

Will Harris sent in an update in response to his birthday card in which he said he and his family “are still motoring along here in Atlanta. Haven’t seen any BRs since the last reunion but exchanged emails and texts with a few.”

I got quick notes from Anthony Brinkley just checking in on Thanksgiving, as well as Tim Rodriguez and Rusty and Mary Hale checking in after birthday emails.

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, let the Alumni Association and me know so that we can make sure you get all VMI correspondence.

In the Bonds, Woody

Brother Rats!

Hope the new year is starting off well for everyone and that your holidays were great!

Several BRs responded to me with updates for my holiday email, so I think we’ll just get to it.

Chris Hatcher let me know what’s going on with him: “I’m on terminal leave and will officially retire from the Army Jan. 31, 2024. I am working on getting through the Project Management Professional Certification ‘bootcamp’ and will try and sit for the exam next month. Now that my career as an Army microbiologist is moving into the rearview, I will have to figure out what the next chapter looks like, but I’m not eager to rush into anything. I plan on taking a few months (six or so) off to travel and do some projects around the house. My wife and I have had the opportunity to do quite a bit of travel for work and pleasure and hope that will continue! I hope all is well with you and your family! I enjoy the updates that you send via email and in the Alumni Review. I am always impressed with the contributions our BRs

In other retirement news, Todd Hammond let me know what was going on with him: “Trish and I were honored to complete our service in the Air Force and retire after a 30-year active duty career at the end of October from the Pentagon. We were surrounded by family and friends [who] served with us during 18 assignments, eight years overseas, and nine years of command at squadron and group level. We are happily retired in Fairfax, Virginia, and will be transitioning to a new job in the NCR shortly. Please stop by and say hello if you are in the area; we would love to catch up. Trish is serving as an Arlington lady for the CSAF and works as the military family missions manager for the National Math and Science Initiative. She regularly travels to support joint military family communities helping STEM teachers obtain DOD development aid. We are proud that both our children have chosen to serve and are active supporters of their career aspirations. VMI prepared us well for the challenges we faced together, and I’m very grateful for the solid foundation [and] the experience the Institute provided.” Todd, it was great to hear from you; thanks for the update and your 30 years of service.

As we are all getting to retirement age, I’d just ask that if you’re retiring from anything, be it military or civilian, please let me know so I can share it. I think it’s great to be able to recognize you.

Jamie Delk let me know that, because of the multiple strokes he had back in 2021, he’s in a wheelchair now but is keeping his spirits up. We wish you all the best, BR.

Spencer Gill and I touched base around Thanksgiving: “Big year ahead. We have our last two graduating from high school. I’ve been grinding 25 years. Over two 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.”

James Akers and I messaged briefly as he’s holding it down in Florida: “Been super busy with work and two daughters in high school. One starting college in the fall. Didn’t get much time off over Christmas, but we did get to Mexico for Thanksgiving. We have some friends/

Class of 1993: Gathering at Kindred Spirit Brewing in Goochland, Virginia, are (from left) John Peters, Davie Hoy, Bill Cox, Lincoln Swineford, John Barefoot, Matt Gill, Scott Coleman, and Jim Langley.

Class of 1992: Mac McCarthy (left) and Al McKinnon in North Carolina in February 2024.

neighbors that go down every year because their mom retired there. Very cool city; I would highly recommend San Miguel de Allende. Very safe, old colonial town four hours north of Mexico City. A fair amount of Americans and Europeans live there. The family enjoyed it.” Glad you have a good trip, BR. Sounds like a good place.

Boo Lassiter and I also messaged, as he let me know he and his family sold their property in Alabama and moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee, to be closer to their adopted parents so that they can help them out more, which is very admirable. They’ll be looking to land in North Carolina or Texas eventually.

Jeff Williams also let me know that he’s holding down Oklahoma and continuing to work on his ranch.

I exchanged holiday wishes with many BRs. I won’t list them all here, but I appreciate the contact with you guys.

Kevin Feese sent me a picture of the Institute. He took it during one of his solo flights. He and his son, Alex, are both working to get their private pilot’s licenses, which is a pretty cool thing to do.

We had our new year ’93 happy hour at Kindred Spirits, courtesy of John and Heather Barefoot. Had a great time; thanks to everyone who made it.

John Peters and his wife, Sarah, made the trip down from Northern Virginia with Scott Coleman and his wife, Stephanie. Turns out they live about 20 minutes from each other, so they saddled up and managed to win a trivia contest at KS during the good time.

Jim Langley, Matt and Rory Gill, Ben Lilly, Bill Cox, and Dave Hoy also made the trip out.

Dave Hoy let me know he’s been spending a fair amount of time traveling and has a meetup in Portugal planned with Kevin Morris and Mark Schroeder. Kevin is still living in Amsterdam, and Mark is still in Michigan but is on the lookout for opportunities in the South. I’m sure they’ll send an update about their trip.

The Swinefords continue to roll along. Good holiday season for us with a lot of fun, and a good spring on schedule with camping and long weekends set up so far.

Thanks to everyone who sent in an update. If you haven’t sent one in recently—or ever— please send one along so we can catch up.

Hope you all had a great holiday and that you’re all well as we head into spring. ’93, ’93, ’93.

1994

Clay Campbell

Chris Ratchford reached out to let me know he caught up with David Bruce at the waste management PGA tour. He also had a chance to meet up with Rich Clark while in Jacksonville.

Charlie and Dee Evans attended the Ring

Class of 1994: Chris Ratchford and Rich Clark.

Class of 1994: Chris Ratchford and David Bruce.

Class of 1994: Charlie Evans, Cadets Josh Evans ’25 and Chaz Downs ’25, and Charles Downs.

Class of 1994: U.S. Army Reserve Master Sgt. Rob Coleman with Cadet Colby Slade ’24, Company F commander.

Figure ceremony where their son, Josh Evans ’25, received his ring, alongside Chaz Downs ’25, son of our BR Charles Downs.

I heard from Dan Price; he has been busy with the car industry but is looking forward to some much-needed downtime.

Chris Tujo sent word that his daughter was awarded a provisional appointment to the Class of 2028; congrats.

Always, Pig

1995

Joseph W. Doyle

Brother Rats,

I hope this set of class notes finds everyone doing well. The rats have broken out, and the Dark Ages will soon be over. I hope everyone made it through the winter in good shape.

I’ll get the sad news for our class out of the way first. Our BR, Pat Bolton, passed away back in December. I did not receive notice until after his services, but here is his obituary.

“Patrick Paul Bolton, 53, passed away unexpectedly of natural causes Sunday, Dec. 24, 2023. Patrick was born in Rhode Island Dec. 18, 1970, the son of Carol (Savoie) Lindblade and the late Joseph Bolton. Patrick received a degree in mechanical engineering from VMI and took pride in his work on alternative-fuel projects during his career at NYSERDA in Albany. Patrick will be lovingly remembered by his wife, Suzy Muggeo, and their children, Sofia Muggeo Bolton and Maximus Muggeo Bolton; his mother, Carol, and her husband, Jim; his siblings, Joe Bolton (Mary), Peter Bolton (Jacquie), and Charlene Lanier; his ‘mum and dad,’ Carole and Richard Muggeo; sisters, Jennifer (Jason) and Tara (Scott); and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends. Patrick will be laid to rest in a private ceremony at Bethlehem Cemetery, Delmar. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 85 Elm Avenue, Delmar. In memory of his warm and generous spirit, lend a hand to a friend in need, introduce yourself to a neighbor, give a friendly greeting to passersby. Spread joy and love when and where you are able.” Please keep Pat’s family and friends in your thoughts and prayers.

Now we have a couple of BRs to really celebrate. Kendall Clarke and Shannon Lucas have both made brigadier general. We are so proud of you guys. Thank you so much for your service, and we hope to see more stars on your shoulders in the future.

I also want to let everyone know that this will be my last set of class notes. I am stepping down as class agent. Taking

care of my father-in-law, work, and family time have started to take a toll on my time, and I have not been able to put my whole self into it lately. I have enjoyed hearing from everyone and keeping our class updated. Mike Fellows is going to be taking over as class agent now. Please continue to reach out to him with any updates that you have. If needed for now, you can send me updates, and I will send them to Mike. Thanks for letting me serve you guys.

As I am traveling, I will still try to reach out to you guys if I am in your area. Please keep in touch, and I hope to see you all at our reunions and anywhere we can meet up!

RVM! ’95, ’95, ’95.

Class of 1995: U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Kendall Clarke and his wife, Veronica Perez-Clarke.

1996

Jon Dano

Nick Latsios

Brother Rats,

In January of this year, we had another well-attended mini reunion. The ’96 Big Red club was in full force and right in the front row at half court amongst the cadets. The Keydets won the day in a close one against The Citadel, and I believe our presence was a part of their victory. It was great to have Josh Lewis, Jon Sherrod, Ricky Mattoso, Nick Latsios, Tom Danielsen, Bill Leonard, Jim Tinguely, Joel Benecke, Stephen Johnson, Bobby Prince, John Pearce, Darrell Dudley, Tad Blackburn, Travis Hughes, and Kevin Faust in attendance, along with many of their family members. We also got to meet the new recipient of the Capt. Jamie Edge VMI Spirit Scholarship, Cadet James Bangura ’26, and existing scholarship recipient, Cadet Ben Schreher ’25. These cadets have strong character and are a tremendous representation of Jamie and our class.

Class of 1995: Attending the promotion ceremony for U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Shannon Lucas are Paul Hayes, Charlie Branch, Shannon, Edith Lucas, Eric Fegley, Dave Fleck, and Jamie Joyner.

Tom Danielsen checked in with the following: “This past November, my wife, Leanne, and I celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary in style by traveling to Lisbon, Portugal, for an extra-long weekend. I can’t recommend Lisbon enough. Great weather, friendly people, and most importantly, great food and wine. Following the trip to Lisbon, I traveled the next morning to the annual Veith Symposium in NYC. This is the largest meeting for vascular surgeons globally. While there, I ran into no other than the legend, retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Joey Dubose. We were able to have dinner and catch up on 27 years; it was awesome. Joey has promised he will be at the next reunion, as 25 proved impossible with a newborn and a recent move to Austin, Texas. Joey is doing great as a vascular surgeon and keeps himself very busy by still taking trauma calls, one of his passions. In December, I was able to go to my first live New England Patriots

game with my rat, Eric Martin ’99. The Patriots sadly lost to the Chiefs, but we did have a Taylor Swift sighting, which made Eric a hero to his daughter.”

Ricky Mattoso and Jon Sherrod had the privilege of attending Mike Waltz’s 50th birthday party that Mike’s wife, Julia, put on at the Biltmore in Coral Gables, Florida.

Jon Sherrod also shared with me that he met Charles Bryan ’69 in the Detroit airport Dec. 28. They had a great time discussing all things VMI before flying back to Richmond. It’s always great to connect with fellow alumni on the road.

Joel Benecke reporting in that Tom Danielsen helped Joel’s wife with what was supposed to be a surprise Christmas gift trip to Boston to see the Turnpike Troubadours. Despite the inadvertently spoiled surprise, Tom and Joel had a great time and even managed to meet up earlier for some drinks with Jim Tinguely, who was in town for a work event the next day.

I heard from Chris Noe that he will be undergoing major back surgery in February. I am praying that as this edition comes out, Chris is fully healed and out of pain. He also said he had breakfast with Chris Mulligan. He sends his regards to everyone. He and Chris live about 10 minutes from each other in Northern Virginia and try to get together at least a couple times a month. A little dated, but for Founders Day, he was able to get together in the Pentagon with about 20 alumni in the Pentagon courtyard. They gave an Old Yell for the Institute and only received a few weird looks ... mostly from West Pointers.

I was excited to hear from Ben Venning! He said he is still on the West Coast at Camp Pendleton, California, in command at the Assault Amphibian School. He said that currently four out of the five key leaders of the assault amphibian community are VMI guys: Col. Tim Hough ’98, program manager, Advanced Amphibious Assault; Lt. Col. Dan Petronzio ’06, commanding officer 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division; and Lt. Col. Tim Riemann ’05, who is the inspector-instructor for 4th Assault Amphibian BN. Scott Shropshire sent me a great note catching us up on his life over the last few years. He has a daughter on scholarship at Lees–McRae College playing DII soccer and majoring in

pre-veterinary medicine. His youngest will graduate high school this year and just recently signed her national letter of intent to attend Davis & Elkins College and play DII soccer. The I-95 Rappahannock River Crossing projects are fully open to the traveling public after eight years of design and construction. The two design-build contracts were awarded to the Wagman/JMT Design-Build team with four VMI alumni in key roles for both projects. The two contracts had a total contract value of $264,000,000. Here is hoping any of our BRs who navigated the corridor didn’t give Scott too hard of a time. As this project comes to completion, his next assignment is I-81 in Staunton where the design-build team will widen the interstate from I-64 North to Verona from four to six lanes.

Max

The team played hard, but the team didn’t prevail. Regardless, well done, VMI rugby!! Scott hopes everyone is well and sends his best to all of us. He said if anyone is passing though Fredericksburg, the bar is always open!

I saw on Facebook that Mike Ohleger, Brian Hartless, and Sterling Sweeney took an epic trip to England for what looked like an English Premier League tour to many different matches. What a great adventure to take, and to do it with BRs is special. Well done, guys.

Speaking of BRs getting together, it was great to see a gathering in Thailand with Randy Shyu visiting Noppadon Kool and Wiwat Ruengmee in Bangkok! We do not get to see you all often,

Class of 1996: Pictured at a VMI sporting event are (from left) Tom Danielsen, Julie Lathia (wife of Joel Benecke), Jim Tinguely, Joel, John Pearce, and Stephen Johnson.

Casteleyn and Scott hung out with Clay Campbell ’94 at the regional rugby championship tournament in Culpeper, Virginia.

Class of 1996: U.S. Marine Corps Col. Ben Venning with Lt. Col. Tim Riemann ’05.

Class of 1996: Attending a Keydet basketball game are (from left) Bobby Prince, Jon Sherrod, Travis Hughes, Jon Dano, Josh Lewis, Ricky Mattoso, Nick Latsios, and Bill Leonard.

Class of 1996: Joey DuBose and Tom Danielsen in New York City, New York.

so thanks for checking in and keeping the 1996 bonds together on the other side of the world.

All the Best to You and Your Families, Jon and Nick

1997

David M. Hudock

Gentlemen of the Old Corps!

Unbelievably, we’ve reached February of a new year. Congratulations! In other 2024 news, Congress has still not passed an appropriations bill for this fiscal year, Taylor Swift has amassed more NFL fans than the NFL knew existed, and perhaps most unbelievably, Bill Stagg has a cell phone. If that’s not a great start to a new year, I don’t know what is, other than ...

Bill Stagg is indeed the proud owner of a new cell phone, as confirmed by none other than Joel “Rumpshaker” Kusterer, who exclaimed to me one afternoon that “Stagg with a cellphone has been awesome” because he gets sent song lyrics “damn near daily.” I feel like I’ve been missing something because if there’s one thing I need more of right now in 2024, it’s Robert Plant telling me, via Stagg’s cell phone, “How years ago in days of old, when magic filled the air, it was in the darkest depths of Mordor that he met a girl so fair ...”

And coming from the land of ice and snow, Dano Owens posted another meme on Facebook. And another one. Oops ... another one! You get the idea.

A little bit closer to the sun in the big easy is our Brother Rat Josephus Klapatch. I confirmed his 20-year-old email is, in fact, still functioning (what’s your problem, VMIAA?) and that he is, no kidding, also functioning. In fact, he is so highly functioning that Donnie Hasseltine and Dave Zirkle saw fit to rendezvous with the good Dr. Klapatch one fine evening before Thanksgiving 2023 to deliberate the proper pronunciation of “BEN-yay” or “ben-YAYZ” (it’s actually “English fritter”). So. Well done, boys, and thank you, Joe, for dropping me a line.

Fellow Department of Navy employee and Tidewater man of mystery, “Stock D” Dinsmore, reports he has finally been released from the service of the Virginia Air National Guard on the occasion of his retirement Dec. 31, 2023, whereupon the crowd cheered, “We have an Air National Guard?” We do, indeed! Just ask Virginia’s militia,

currently teaching some of our brother rats’ children physics and English literature. Nonetheless, Stock’s service is much appreciated and quite an accomplishment; he deserves a solid “97-salute” for his achievements. And now that he is free from those pesky VANG deployments, he assures me he will be at one of our future reunions, having missed the last three due to overseas service. Look forward to seeing you, Stock, and congrats again!

If you haven’t heard the word “dynasty” enough surrounding the Swifties, er, sorry, Chiefs victory over the other team in the Super Bowl, feel free to bandy the term about the next time you mention BR Hagan’s family in conversation because Feb. 6, 2024, Ad’s two youngest children, Ty ’27 and Lucy ’27, broke out of the Rat Line! It is probably worth noting here that this date is precisely 29 years and 11 months after the best class in barracks broke out, indicating clearly that the new Corps is too impatient to wait one more month to join our class in the history books. The thought of them graduating on or about our 30th Reunion is epic, however, and we can’t wait to see it! Congrats to Ty and Lucy for joining the illustrious Corps and congrats to proud parents Ad and Janice! We wish you all the very best.

In the time it has taken you to read this far, Dano has posted another 9.7 memes on Facebook.

World traveler Brian Keslick paused between airports to drop us a quick proof of life. He is alive and well, and if you can catch him, he’ll show you his passport stamp collection. Good hearing from you, Brian, and travel safe!

And that will wrap things up for this entry! Thank you all for keeping in touch and sharing your exploits, travels, and shenanigans. Enjoy your post-Valentine’s Day bliss and have a happy spring ... summer will be here before you can say, “I wish the presidential campaign would freaking stop already.” Rah Virginia Mil!

1998

Joseph Bates Jr.

Class of 1998: Hamel and Lauren Corbut Reinmiller were married in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Dec. 16, 2023.

our only saving grace was watching the 49ers lose once again.

I am leaving an update on the pictures from reunion weekend in this edition, just in case you want it. The can be viewed at vmialumni.smugmug.com/2023-Second-Fall-Reunion/. Hopefully, you saw the items for sale from Olde School Blazer and visited their website to secure some swag (10% goes to the operating account), and after being enamored by our custom interior design, you felt obliged to spring for a blazer! Once again, we “blazed a trail,” no pun intended, and it seems that the ring design on the liner is going to be replicated by future classes!

Hamel Reinmiller checked in on the first day of the new year and is excited to share that he married Lauren Corbut Reinmiller Dec. 16, 2023, in Tulsa at Holy Family Cathedral in a private family-only ceremony, which was followed by a family dinner at Southern Hills Country Club. He also included a picture. Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Reinmiller! Looks like you are doing great!

As we crest the new year and you have just received the notes from November and a brief recap of the 25th Reunion, I hope this message finds you each doing well. If you are a Chiefs fan, then a not-so-happy congratulations, as my Dallas Cowboys left us feeling cheated once again, so

Hopefully, when you read this, I will be getting ready to write another Review and will have successfully gotten a crew together in Richmond for a night of dinner and fun with the brides. If you have any interest in such events, then please shoot me a text, as we want to start doing more stuff throughout the years versus waiting until the next reunion to get together in mass.

Please visit the VMI Ranks at vmialumni.org/ ranks and update your information. I was surprised that we have 68 brother rats on the “do

not disturb” list who cannot receive emails from the Alumni Agencies. I was even more surprised when we started fundraising that I was on the list, and I had been the class agent for six-plus years at that point. I guess at some point in my 20s I was broke and upset and told them to stop calling me looking for money, so they did. Please update your information so we can find you on the VMI app when traveling and stay in touch throughout the back nine of life.

The quickest way to reach me is via text or at joeybates@hotmail.com.

I hope you are well, and when you read these notes in May 2024, take a few minutes to shoot me an email, Facebook message, or text message so that I have more to share, and if you are coming to town this fall/winter/spring for any activities, then please give me a shout in advance. Rah Virginia Mil! ’98, ’98, ’98.

1999

Jay Witt

Greetings, Brother Rats and Friends of the Class of 1999,

It’s been a pleasure to catch up with several of you over the past few months.

BR Jordan Brandon married the former Ms. Jenna Finnegan in November of last year at Berry Hill outside of South Boston, Virginia. In attendance at Jordan’s wedding were Brother Rats Grant Eddy, Steve Lucas, Van Carson, Mike Condon, and Matt Bagwell. Also attending was Jordan’s rat (and attorney), Brad Brickhouse ’02

Barry Williams faithfully checked in this quarter with the following email, “It’s always good to hear from you. Every time I get one of these class note reminders, I go back down memory lane to the old Golf Company days. It also reminds me that we are getting old! Ha! I try not to think much about getting older and just focus on the fact that I am doing well for an ole boy from Botetourt County, Virginia. I am currently located in Erbil, Iraq. I am still in my BDE CMD.All is well, given the busy times in the Middle East. Wife and kids

are located in Northern Virginia, where I will return this summer when my tour here (Iraq) is complete. My wife and kids are doing well and kids are both athletes and scholars that keep my wife busy.”

Thank you for the update, Barry!

Brother Rat Charles Faulkner accepted a new role as vice president for National & Global Security Solutions at QinetiQ US and recently celebrated 17 years in the Air Force Reserve.

It was great to catch up with Frazer Orgain recently. He discovered VHS footage of our Breakout his father had taken. Frazer plans to make a “best of” compilation. I look forward to him trickling out excerpts on Facebook as the final masterpiece is put together.

If you missed it, Brother Rat Joel Christenson was selected as the director of VMI’s Adams Center for Military History and Strategic Analysis. Joel earned his Ph.D. from West Virginia University and comes back to the “Mother I” from his position as senior historian in the Office of the Secretary of Defense Historical Office. Joel will formally assume the directorship in August of this year. Congratulations, Joel!

Jared Linkous and I were able to spend some time on the phone. It’s no understatement to say Jared is running almost all of Pulaski County, Virginia, as the county engineer. It was great to hear Jared and his family are doing well, and he’s enjoying his leadership position within the county.

Brother rats, make sure you update your contact

information with the Alumni Agencies. Changes/updates can be sent to Mary Price at mprice@ vmiaa.org or to me. I look forward to speaking with each of you soon, but until then, all the best to you and your families and Rah Virginia Mil!

–BR Jay Witt

2000

Chris Abbott

Editor’s Note: We did not receive notes from the Class of 2000.

2001

Tony Gelormine

Happy Spring, Class of 2001, Not much to share at the Gelormine house; Heather and I are pretty boring. However, our children seem to be crushing it at every turn. A few months back, our daughter applied to graduate with her bachelor’s degree a year early from William & Mary and is slated to intern at a congressional office this summer. Most recently, our son has earned a starting position on the varsity tennis team for the second year as a returning sophomore player and is caddying at the Winchester Country Club to, as he says, “earn a living.” Gotta love this kid. I have a great story below, so on to the notes.

Class of 1999: Pictured at the wedding of Jordan Brandon and Jenna Finnegan, held at Berry Hill near South Boston, Virginia, in November 2023 are (from left) Jordan, Jenna, Brad Brickhouse ’02, Grant Eddy, Steve Lucas, Van Carson, and Mike Condon.

Before I share the story, I missed the opportunity to send along notes from Jake Williams, since we honored Ro Mercado last quarter. Jake shares, “In August, I retired from the Navy after 22 years. I count myself incredibly lucky to have lived my childhood dream of being a Naval aviator. Kathleen and I are settled in NOVA with our two boys and look forward to putting down roots here. I began working for Kearney and Company as a senior consultant in mid-August and am currently supporting a client

Class Notes

in the comptroller organization. The VMI network was amazing, especially our very own Tony Gelormine, who generously devoted his time to answering my questions about Deloitte. Special thanks go to Ty Trobridge ’15, who helped pull me into Kearney.” Sorry, Jake for taking so long to get this into the notes, but happy to call you a NOVA “neighbor!”

The following story was passed along by the president of the Valley Chapter of the VMI Alumni Association, living in Churchville, Virginia, Mr.

Class of 2001: Jane Land, widow of Walter C. Land ’49C, at her home in Morgantown, Indiana, with Cameron Seay ’70.

Class of 2001: Jenn and Elijah Ward hold two of the VMI dinner plates given to them by Jane Land, widow of Walter C. Land ’49C.

Cameron Seay ’70. Mr. Seay writes, “Our oldest alum in the chapter, Mr. Haywood France [’49C], died at 98 years old last February, and he was the last remaining BR in the illustrious Class of ’49C. To honor him, and especially to honor the whole Class of ’49C, I wrote the final class notes which were published in AR 2023, Issue 3. In preparing to write those notes, I spent some time in the VMI Archives and then, happily, found and interviewed or spoke with or corresponded with in some fashion the nine surviving widows of that class. What a pleasure! One of those ladies, Jane Land, widow of Walter C. Land ’49C, lives in Morgantown, Indiana, and looks and acts 20 years younger than her 95 years. In one of our many letters back and forth, she asked if I knew anyone who might want her husband’s set of 12 centennial edition VMI dinner plates. My wife, Mary, and I simultaneously thought of Elijah Ward, who graduated with our older daughter, Cynthia. [Since] every Army officer alumnus from VMI needs a set of VMI dinner plates, and we learned that the Wards were without [they offered the plates to their family]. Elijah and Jenn happily said, ‘Yes,’ they would like to have the set, so Mary and I drove through Morgantown en route home to Virginia from visiting our other daughter and her family in Wyoming over Christmas. ... Mrs. Land fed us, housed us, and handed over a box of well-wrapped plates for Elijah and Jenn. I’m attaching a photo of Mrs. Land and me in her home in early January and a photo taken Jan. 13 of Elijah and Jenn upon receiving this gift at his parents’ home in Spottswood, Virginia.”

Such an incredible illustration of the VMI bonds and could not have been presented to a more deserving brother rat! Now, Heather and I only need eight more people to join us and stand on the Wards’ doorstep and demand dinner with the plates ... the shorter the notice, the better!

I hope everyone is doing well and please reach out with all your updates!

See you in the Countermarch, Tony G.

2002

Salmaan Khawaja

Brother Rats,

I hope this edition of the Review again finds you and yours well. As I write these notes, the Dark

Ages are ending, and spring is right around the corner. By the time you read this, I hope the weather is finally warming up. I hope to see some of you at the retirement of Col. John Brodie (Hon) later this year.

On to the notes!

Brian Rodriguez is the person who submitted notes for this edition, so I am grateful for the opportunity to actually submit some notes this time around (hint, hint).

Rod wrote in to note that, a few years ago, he went through a divorce from his Ring Figure date after over 20 years of being married. He has been dating a woman for two years now, and he brought her to the 20th Reunion. Rod and Elizabeth got engaged in Charleston over the VMI versus The Citadel weekend. She has four small children (three daughters and a son) from a previous marriage. Combined, Rod and Elizabeth have seven children, which beats Laura and me (we have

Class of 2002: Brian Rodriguez and his fiancée, Elizabeth, became engaged at the VMI versus The Citadel football game in Charleston, South Carolina, in October 2023.

five kids). Rod’s sons are all teenagers now, one of whom is in college at Haverford College in Philadelphia. No “empty nest” for Rod anytime soon, as he has gone right back to potty training the toddlers.

Rod finds life with Elizabeth to be a true blessing, and they are looking forward to sharing their lives together. They live in York, Pennsylvania, where Rod is a division manager/vice president of a construction company in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and Elizabeth is an operating room nurse at York Hospital. Rod states, “If anyone is ever visiting between Baltimore and Harrisburg, let me know, I would love to grab dinner.”

Brian met up with Dominik “Tony” Browne in College Park, Maryland, in the fall. Tony is a top executive at Amazon now in charge of Global Supply Chain and living in Florida. Mike Bradley is still an executive with Norfolk Southern and lives in Atlanta. The three of them speak often but don’t get much time to get together. Brian also noted that Frank Deerr is with DEA and serves on an elite tactical team for them. Frank lives in Jersey and has a super-cute daughter named Violet, who calls Brian “Uncle Rod.” Violet wants to be an officer in the Army like her Papa. Frank Deerr and Brian were able to catch up with Brady Bagwan and Brandon Bennett last summer at Brady’s house outside of Philly.

Robert “Jeremiah” Hendricks owns an engineering firm in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Mark Stallard is still living the single life and lives between Winchester, Virginia, and Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. He is in business with his father developing/flipping real estate, among other things.

Alex Martin and Brian are in the same industry and catch up on text from time to time. Alex is vice president for Toll Brothers and manages a division in South Florida.

Brian also texts with our all-star running back, A. Geno Cauthen III, from time to time, and they enjoy swapping great album suggestions and talking old vinyl since both like to collect records.

At The Citadel, Brian met a lot of our BRs. Of course, Keenan Entsminger was there because “he is everywhere, and still corrupting the youth of Virginia as a teacher.” Keenan and Brian hung out with John Tibbs, who works for Boeing and lives in Charleston. They met at the hopping Keydet Club tailgate. They also ran into Justin Sloan ’05, who is married to one of Brian’s former coworkers. They also saw Darien Lafferty, whose mom had just unfortunately passed away (condolences, brother), and Matt Thompson fresh off his

Iron Man completion. At The Citadel game also were some of old Delta ’01 guys: Doug Bates ’01; Tony Esteve ’00; Ryan Cates ’01; and their favorite former cadre corporal, Brian Wilson ’01.

As for me, I usually don’t chat about my goings-on, but Laura and I and the five little Khawajas are still trucking along in Midlothian, Virginia, right outside of Richmond. Give us a holler sometime if you’re around.

Best to you and to all of you, as always. In the Spirit, Salmaan

2003

William Talley V P P ( w

BrotherRats, This will be a short set of notes for this issue. I’ve not received any updates via email since I last sat down to write notes for our class. There is exciting news to share, though, in that Sam Newsome’s son, Samson, was accepted to VMI and will matriculate this fall.As far as I’m aware, Samson will become the first legacy from our classtomatriculateattheInstitute.Itgoeswithout sayingthatbothSamandTaiareproudparents! IalsosawthatBryanWacker’sdaughter,Kylie, willbeheadedtoJMUthisfall,aswell.Congratulations,Kylie!Iexpecttohavesomemoreofthese to write about when the next set of notes is due in May, as I know we’ve got a few other BRs whose

Class of 2003: Samson Newsome holds his VMI acceptance letter.

Class of 2003: Paul Quinn, his daughter, and Jimmy Hitch are pictured in Savannah, Georgia, in November 2023.

kids are waiting to hear back and make decisions on where to go to college. What an exciting time! I was able to catch up with BRs Kyle Haire and Blake Traina in late January at a basketball game. They came up for the weekend with their families. It was definitely a cold weekend with snow on the ground. That didn’t matter, though, as the basketball team got their first SoCon victory of the season by taking down The Citadel! Post game, all of our boys (Haire, Talley, and Traina) got to go down on the court and get in some shots, which I think was likely the best part of the day.

Class of 2003: Pictured at the VMI versus The Citadel football game in January 2024 are (from left) Taylor Haire, Jack Haire, Chappell Talley, Billy Talley VI, David Traina, and Daniel Traina.

I got an update from Jimmy Hitch that he caught up with Paul Quinn and Paul’s daughter when they visited Savannah, Georgia, in late November. Paul and his daughter were returning from a lacrosse tournament down in Tampa, Florida. That’s all for this set of notes. Until next time, send me your updates and rah Virginia Mil, ’03, ’03, ’03!

2004

Scott E. Campbell

2005

Tom Hardinge

Timothy Johnson

Matt Sharpe writes: “I’m alive and enjoying the sunshine of California. Enough about that. In the fall, I completed an executive coaching certification through Rutgers and coaching inside and outside of Capital One. Send people my way.”

Joe Cuthbertson was down in Virginia Beach to meet with the officers and horses of the Virginia Beach Police Department. He writes, “I was able to meet up with Mike Corso for lunch. ... We still haven’t grown up much, but a huge thank you to our amazing wives, Suzy and Jen, who keep us straight!”

I’ve been working for High Street Consulting since March 1, 2023. It has been an incredible experience. Misia and I hit the third year of a renovation here in Richmond this week. With any luck, we’ll be done with the renovation before the reunion. In the meantime, I caught up with Travis Crittenden over LinkedIn. He’s been busy with his business, 360 Sports Academy. I’ve also caught up with John Ginder, Radee Skipworth, Bree Guiterman, Jimmy Palmer, and Libby Palmer on calls and emails. They have been helping to plan the reunion.

Hopefully, we’ll see you all back at the “I” in April.

Scott Campbell

Class of 2004: Joe Cuthbertson and Mike Corso in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Greetings, Brother Rats!

As the calendar turns toward summer, I hope these notes find you all happy and in good health. Another May brings another class anniversary—2024 makes 19 years since we departed post for the last time as a class. It also means that we’re officially on the clock for our 20th Reunion; we have a lot of catching up to plan for since our last reunion was postponed indefinitely during the lockdown restrictions of 2020. Please pay attention to this space and your email inboxes for more information as the year progresses! Now onto the notes.

Paul Bryan starts things off: “My wife, Dana; kids; and I were having dinner with my extended family in Raleigh, North Carolina, on New Year’s Eve and ran into Tim Allmond. We were at our table, and then I noticed a very tall guy with a familiar face coming to the table next to us. I don’t think we have seen each other since graduation, but it only took a second to realize that we knew each other. We spent some time catching up on family, work, and VMI. It was a great surprise to see a BR. I will say, Tim, you have not aged a bit, and I wish I could say the same!

I continue to live in Roanoke with my wife and two girls. I’m running the marketing and business development functions of the same engineering firm, Froehling & Robertson, Inc., that I have been with since VMI. I travel extensively throughout the Mid-Atlantic and am regularly in places like Richmond, Northern Virginia, Hampton Roads, Raleigh, and Charlotte. If anyone in those places would like to grab a beer sometime, let me know, and we’ll make it happen.”

I shared a few texts with Derek Rankin during the latest ill-fated Baltimore Ravens playoff run. He seems to be doing very well (playoff disappointments aside), still working for NATO and living in Italy with his family. Speaking of BRs abroad, Adam Rouse sent in a photo with Chris

Class of 2005: Derek Rankin at a pub in London, England.

Class of 2005: Tim Allmond and Paul Bryan in Raleigh, North Carolina, in December 2023.

Alderman ’08 from London, England. Unfortunately, there was no further info attached, so I’m assuming good times were had by all.

Chris Hardy emailed me a handful of vintage photos detailing various barracks shenanigans and sweat parties, most of which I can’t share here. (Nothing bad! I’m just limited by the formatting.) Hopefully, I can convince him to bring them to show at the reunion next year! I also received a brief message from Gabriela Arraiz; she assumed

2006

Will Collier

battalion command in October 2023 and will be spending the next year at Fort Bliss, Texas. Congrats, Gabby!

Finally, Honorary Brother Rat Craig Wiggers writes in for the first time in quite a while: “’05, ’05, ’05! It’s been a while since I have sent a note. I hope all of you are doing great, and I am looking forward to the 20th Reunion. Betsy and I have settled in Ithaca, New York, and we are both enjoying ‘second careers’ at Cornell University. As a PE major and Marine from Alabama, I never imagined making it to the Ivy League! I am currently the director of finance and administration for the university library. Betsy works for the communications team in the School of Industrial Labor Relations. We have both come to love winters and enjoy skiing whenever possible. Our kids are grown, married, and employed—mission accomplished! We wish you all the best, and if you ever need anything, please feel free to reach out on Facebook or cww67@cornell.edu.

Semper Fi!”

That’s all for this edition, BRs. It was a pleasure hearing from those who sent updates. Please continue to keep those submissions coming in so we can all remain touch with each other as the years roll on. Wishing y’all a great summer, and as always, stay safe and be well.

Rah Virginia Mil, Tom Hardinge

Brother Rats of the Monumental Class of 2006, Charles Brennan said, “I am doing well. My wife, Michelle, and I live down in Carteret County, North Carolina, and welcomed our sixth child this summer. Additionally, I finished a tour as 2nd Network Battalion XO aboard Camp Lejeune and am now back to working as a contractor in support

Class

Class of 2006: Jed Tan and Aaron Hawkins at the Shot Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, in January 2024.

of USMC cyber operations on base. Hope you and all are doing well!”

Frank Dolberry completed his fellowship at the Association of the U.S. Army. Since then, Frank assumed the duties of J37 chief of training, exercises, readiness, and force management for Joint Task Force-National Capital Region/U.S. Army Military District of Washington at Fort McNair.

Dave Raser reported that he is still in the Army stationed at Fort Meade. His two sons, James (7) and Teddy (5), keep Dave and his wife occupied in their free time. Dave’s wife, Linda, is finishing her master’s degree from Georgetown University.

Wilson Nance let us know that he, Jonathan Everiss, Tommy Upton, and L. Scott Bartholomew met for some chow in Alexandria, just by Fort Belvoir, while Scott was in town for a drill weekend. Genya Skvortsov couldn’t make it that evening because he was playing old-school “Call of Duty,” while Frank Dolberry felt date night with his beautiful wife was more important than meeting with his noble brother rats. Anyone else in the Alexandria area, we plan on meeting up again soon!

Class of 2006: Gathering in Houston, Texas, to celebrate Kevin Simpson’s 40th birthday are Dave Rahl, Jimmy Angerman, Chris Foltz, Chris Chase, and Simpson.

Berit (Oftedahl) Aloisio sent the following update: “I haven’t linked up with many alumni lately, other than my husband, Douglas Aloisio ’05, and his brother, Andrew Aloisio ’09, or many adults, for that matter. I’m a stay-athome mom to Derek, Harold, Brigid, and most recently Carter, born in May 2023. We live in Fredericksburg, Virginia, and like to get back to Lexington when we’re able.”

Jo Wall shared, “I’m in New Jersey still doing state government transportation in the maritime world. I love the

Class of 2005: Adam Rouse and Chris Alderman ’08 are pictured in London, England.

of 2006: Jared Sheets with U.S. Army Capt. Jake Jackson ’08 in May 2023.

work I do helping the community here in New Jersey by facilitating construction projects for the department, and in the last two years, I’ve become an FAA-certified drone pilot, and they also send me to the national conferences to represent the state. My job has me doing some really neat things, and I am very grateful for the work that we do here in the dirty Jersey. I turned 40 at the beginning of February and celebrated by competing in my third strongman competition. BR Mike Werner and I compete about once or twice a year in powerlifting competitions and challenge each other to keep us moving forward and not getting too stagnant. Life is good here. I am blessed to have amazing and talented friends and a rich life.”

As always, please keep sending me your pictures and notes on your status. We want to know what you are doing, brother rats!

BRs have been up to. ’07 has some great notes with lots of wonderful news and congratulations.

Starting with news from our BRs in Thailand, Kaiyu Shih sent me a message saying that there was an ’07 gathering in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 14, 2024. Col. Wutthisan Luangjinda (Thailand) is retiring from his military service in the Ministry of Defense. He is currently managing a jewelry business in Thailand. Col. Kaiyu Shih (Taiwan) is currently stationed in Thailand and serves as a defense attaché. Col. Komgrit Kotcharaksa (Thailand) is serving in the Royal Thai Army. He is applying for a foreign mission in the USA right now.

Class

2007

Laura Hash

Whitney Matthews

Your BR, Will Brother Rats,

Thank you all for submitting so many class notes! I hope you enjoy reading about what our

Rhys Williams writes, “We’ve had the pleasure of spending some time with Brandon Kelly and family since they are stationed in New Orleans. We attended the den party for the Krewe of Hermes, a Mardi Gras organization of which I am a member. The kids had a blast checking out parade floats, getting their faces painted, and eating king cake. A few weeks later, we went to the first parades of the Mardi Gras season. A week after that, I saw Brandon and our families on the parade route when the Hermes parade rolled Feb. 9.”

Kathleen (Krenzel) Joseph writes that she and her husband, Gabe, welcomed their third child, Levi Creighton Joseph. Levi was born Jan. 11, 2024, at 2:52 p.m. He was 20 inches, 6 pounds, and 8 ounces. Congratulations, Kat and Gabe!

Carolyn (Lanier) Kupper and Eric Kupper also welcomed their third daughter Oct. 26, 2023. “We named her Abigail. She’s the calmest baby ever, and her big sisters (Eleanor and Amelia) both love to entertain her! Congratulations, Carolyn and Eric!

Jose Lopez met up with Tom Matthews and Matt Davis at Tom’s wedding in Fort Myers,

Class of

Class of 2006: Wilson Nance, Jonathan Everiss, Tommy Upton, and L. Scott Bartholomew having dinner in Alexandria, Virginia.

Class of 2006: Gathering in Washington, D.C., to welcome Mike Pasquale on a visit from Germany are Dave Bhatta, Mike, Ben Chovanec, Jon Nagle, and Frank Dolberry.

of 2007: Mark Warack ’16 and Matthew Saccone in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

2007: Pictured in Bangkok, Thailand, are (from left) Wutthisan Luangjinda, Kaiyu Shih, and Komgrit Kotcharaksa.

Florida, in January. Jose writes, “It was great to see them and celebrate with Tom.” Jose also writes that he has moved from Kansas City, Missouri, to Miami, Florida, and has recently been promoted to a GS-14 within the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services at the Miami field office. Congratulations, Tom, on your marriage, and congratulations, Jose, on your promotion.

Matthew Saccone writes, “Unfortunately, my mom passed away in July; my roommate, Tom

Pepka, was in the area and came to her viewing. It was good seeing Tom, even under those circumstances. Tom is still in the Air Force and is back in Ohio where he belongs. My other roommates, James Sandman and Matt Hopchak, are also doing great! Matt is still in the Army and just completed a move to Maryland recently, and Sandman is still in Virginia. Later in July, I was able to attend the Air National Guard Fire Marshal Course at Fairchild Air Force Base and got to hang out with Cory Knick for the week. It was good catching up with him. This is us getting ready to go in the aircraft live fire trainer. “Also, I recently met a fellow CE, Mark Warack ’16, on the soccer field. He is living in Pittsburgh and is a KC 135 pilot at the 171 ARW. I was selected for command of the 171 CES in Pittsburgh and will be taking over next month (December 2023).” Matt, on behalf of the class, please let me extend our condolences for the loss of your mother. Additionally, congratulations on your promotion to command.

Deuntay Diggs says, “As the transition from 2023 to 2024 unfolded, I had the privilege of participating in the Professional Executive Leadership School alongside 35 esteemed officers representing various law enforcement agencies across Virginia. It was a distinct honor to be recognized with the top leadership award and to be voted as the president of our class. Furthermore, I successfully campaigned for a local office and assumed the position in January 2024. I now hold a seat on the board of supervisors for Stafford County, where I represent the esteemed George Washington District. I am profoundly thankful for the

generous financial support extended by several BRs and VMI alumni throughout the duration of the campaign.” Deuntay, congratulations on your leadership award and for running a successful campaign.

In December, I attended the Hampton Roads alumni holiday party. I was able to chat with Sean Hingley and Philip Saunders It was nice to catch up with them. Elise Woodworth attended the Institute Society Dinner and also got to see Philip Saunders and Jake Willis. Elise hopes that more of our class will be in attendance for the 50th celebration of the Institute Society in 2024!

I also chatted with Robert Russman. He writes that he is doing well and is back in the D.C. area. Additionally, he has bought a house in Pennsylvania.

Thank you to everyone for sending in class notes! Please continue to send them in, along with pictures! RVM.

In the Bonds, Whitney

2008

Robert Hill

Brother Rats,

I have some really exciting news to share from Michael Wilson, the first American to successfully complete the Munga Mountain Bike Race in South Africa. I would encourage you to google the Munga to see just how extreme this event is. Michael completed the event back in November 2023. Michael has been living in South Africa for the last six years. The Munga is

Class

Class of 2007: Carolyn and Eric Kupper with their daughters, Eleanor, Amelia, and Abigail (newborn).

Class of 2007: Deuntay Diggs (left) and Josh Prible during Diggs’ campaign for elected office.

Class of 2007: Brandon Kelley and family, along with Rhys Williams and family, in New Orleans, Louisiana.

of 2008: Evan Lyne and Chris Haviley at the 15th Reunion in fall 2023.

Class of 2008: Michael Wilson just before starting his journey to become the first American to ever complete the Munga Mountain Bike Race, held in South Africa in November 2023.

Class of 2008: Michael Wilson with Alex Harris, director of the Munga Mountain Bike Race.

known as the “toughest race on Earth” and challenges individuals to ride 1,100 km (683 miles) on a mountain bike across the desert in South Africa from Bloemfontein to Wellington (near Cape Town). Michael was able to complete the race in 74 hours. What an accomplishment! Rah Virginia Mil!

I still have plenty of VMI tumblers and patches if anyone is interested. Just drop me a line!

Class of 2008: Nicole and Evan Lyne and Rachel and Chris Haviley attend a Keydet football game.

2009

Bradley Simpson

Class of 2009: Jackie Morton and Christina Stalnaker in Idaho.

Brother Rats:

I hope this edition this of the Review finds you and your families well. I have had a chance to catch up with a few here and there this go around, and it sounds like everyone is doing well. Jackie Morton had a chance to visit Christina Stalnaker at her homestead in Idaho. She told me that the weather is different compared to Jackie’s Alabama, but Christina only yelled at her a few times about her clothing and gear choices. Christina tried to kill Jackie snowshoeing up a mountain. Jackie didn’t catch the name of the ridge because she was breathing too hard. They also had an eventful time hiking out to the Jerry Johnson Warm Springs. To respect the privacy of the nudists there, they didn’t take any pictures. Christina and her fiancé, Derek McAuley, have a beautiful home, two sweet dogs, beautiful gardens, and a small orchard. Jackie also got to attend a yoga class taught by Christina and is hoping to make it to one of her retreats this year.

I myself ran into Joel Barnes a little after Thanksgiving on a cruise with my family. I had just made it onto the Disney Dream, and out of nowhere stood Joel. We didn’t get a chance to catch up as much as I would have liked, but for the little we did, it was good to see him. Joel,

from what I can remember, is on his way out to Colorado to teach history at the Air Force Academy. Joel did say that if anyone is out that way, please look him up; we are all welcome. Congratulations are in order for Barrett Luxhoj Barrett has become a partner in the firm that he is working for, Crenshaw, Ware & Martin PLC. Barrett was also appointed recently to the leadership Council of Construction & Public Contracts Law Section of the Virginia Bar Association. Barrett, on behalf of the class, congrats; you deserve it. I also had a chance to briefly talk to Jarrett Bennett; if you are around your TVs April 10, sit down and enjoy the “Price is Right.” Jarrett went on looking to make it on the show, but they were too afraid to put him on, so he didn’t get picked. He did, however, tell me he would be on there high-fiving the contestants coming down to play. Well, that about does it for me this edition; keep on doing great things. I can’t wait to see you all at the upcoming reunion.

2010

Brandon Page

Kilian Landersman

Howdy, Brother Rats!

Carter Kunz, along with his wife, Jessica, and two kids, Jace and Cade, are currently in Tucson,

Arizona, finishing up the A-10 schoolhouse and will be headed to their first squadron in Korea in mid-2024.

Scott Owen and his wife had their first girl, Lily Jane!

Brandon Stratz gave me an update more than, “I’m alive!” He and his family have relocated from D.C. to the Huntsville, Alabama, area, working for Boeing as an executive director. He’s the deputy program director of the Missile Defense National Team.

Chris Dommert had a long update—long overdue! He got married a month after graduation and now has three sons—11, 8, and 4 years old. His wife runs her own photography studio in Richmond, where they currently live. Chris is currently in the water and wastewater business as the engineering lead for Burgess & Niple. After leaving VMI, he commissioned in the Air Force and spent seven years on active duty, including an assignment to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, a deployment to Afghanistan, and an AFROTC duty assignment at The Citadel. After leaving active duty, he joined the air guard with the 203rd Red Horse squadron in Virginia Beach and deployed to Saudi Arabia in 2020.

Eddie Preisser is also headed back to El Paso/ Fort Bliss this summer for more cool Army stuff!

2011

Class of 2011: Roland Richardson.

Brother Rats,

I’d like to dedicate this class notes to a very special brother rat and his newest passion. Roland Richardson is the lord of the dance. He is disobeying a direct order from our first sergeant, Newkirk ’09, who commanded, “Delta does not dance.” While most would assume someone of such talent could only be from Band Company, only Delta Company could produce this ballet sensation. He wanted me to tell everyone he now goes by “Mad Dog Twinkle Toes.”

Carry On,

Tom Pace

2012

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.

Joel Chapman and his family have moved to Georgia after living in Maryland for the past six years. He is currently at Fort Eisenhower, along with 2nd Lt. Kasey Meredith ’22. Joel is also a recent master’s graduate, so congrats on that success; however, even more importantly, he is a father of three boys, ages 9, 7, and 3. Two of his sons are heavily engaged in Cub Scouts, with the oldest, John, having his eyes set on one day becoming an Eagle Scout. Sounds like you have your hands full, but at the same time, it sounds like a pretty great life! Best of luck on your new family adventure in Georgia!

Dan Fiasconaro was married in a beautiful ceremony to his now-wife, Casey Nye! From what I’ve been told, all those in attendance would agree that the band was out of this world. As a good man of the Institute, he decided to be married on Founders Day so that we would never be in fear of forgetting his anniversary. Good idea, Dan! We all wish you and Casey a lifetime of love and happiness. Dan is still actively playing the guitar in several bands around the Richmond area. His latest venture is a progrock/post-punk neo-disco group called The Disco Chickens. Look out for their next gig in RVA!

Cam Murray is a proud new dog dad! He adopted a Labrador puppy named Oswald and has

reported that he is taking quite well to his training. Oswald tells us that Cam listens to commands intently and waits for treats patiently. The next steps will be house-breaking Cameron, so we wish them the best of luck with his endeavors!

Ben Denton and Quinn Adams attended the Institute Society Dinner this fall and wanted to

Class of 2012: Dan Fiasconaro and Will Wild playing as members of the band Murder Factory.

Class of 2012: Emerson Poppy Taylor, daughter of Kippur Taylor.

Thomas H. Pace

Bruce Howard

encourage more of us from the Class of 2012 to attend next year. Ben and Quinn thoroughly enjoyed their time and even got to relive some of their fondest memories while on post, “like not having a date and having to attend with another brother rat.” I personally did not write that; it was sent to me, lol. Hopefully, we’ll see them at next year’s festivities and many more BRs alongside. Also, in January, Quinn Adams and Ben Denton—along with friends of the class, Brandon Alred (W&L 2012) and David Cook (W&L Law 2016)—had the exclusive opportunity to get backstage passes to a Murder Factory concert. For anyone who isn’t following their every move on socials, Murder Factory is headlined by Dan Fiasconaro and Will Wild. They’re based in Richmond and will travel for gigs—when their wives allow it. T.D. Hoover is truly the brains (and everything else) behind the operation. Wearing a coat and tie, fresh from the Country Club of Virginia, T.D. booked the venue, managed ticket sales, designed and sold merchandise, and worked A/V through the show. We all wish we were half as talented as T.D.! Definitely recommend checking out Murder_Factory on Instagram and getting out to their next show! In February, Ben traveled back to San Antonio, Texas, for his Army Reserve change of command ceremony. As anyone who knew him in Army ROTC can attest, finishing command instead of being asked to leave was a pleasant surprise! While still averse to being managed or following “orders,” Ben was fortunate to have a fellow Keydet, Lt. Col. Frank Jackson ’00, as his supervisor. Time will tell if he’s as fortunate in his new unit up in NOVA!

Parade Ground this upcoming football season. Last but certainly not least, congratulations to Kippur Taylor and his wife, Mary Katherine, on the birth of their daughter, Emerson Poppy Taylor. Emerson was born Jan. 6 and is living life to the fullest out on the West Coast! Selfishly, we wish the Taylor family was back in Virginia; however, we are happy to show them some love from across the country. Happy for you and can’t wait to see the family soon!

A special shoutout and sincerest gratitude to Ben Denton and Will Wild for the help on this latest issue of class notes! It helps to have BRs willing to keep the class updated, even in a light-hearted manner. I’m probably missing someone, so if I did leave anyone out of these updates, I apologize. I 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!

Jon Colon continues to thrive and survive in New York City. His vending machine company has received a significant amount of outside investment and hopes to continue expanding into Central and South America as soon as a small legal matter is cleared up. We’d still like to suggest that everyone take a look at his feline companion’s Instagram page, @CarmineTheMobKitty. It’s still worth a visit by every cadet!

David Yost and his wife, Ann, welcomed their beautiful daughter, Claire, into the world this past winter. Jake Barton is Claire’s godfather, which was an offer Jake could not refuse. However, to Jake’s surprise, this was not a position to lead an organized crime family. We couldn’t be more excited and happy for them and look forward to catching the whole family at a tailgate on the

In the Bonds, Bruce

2013

Rob&AnnieMarieIncontro

Michael Scaplehorn

Brother Rats, We hope your year is off to a great start and

that you and your families are well.

We’re incredibly grateful for the engagement we have received from you through social media and being able to celebrate promotions, weddings, babies, and all the amazing accomplishments you’re all sharing.

A couple of updates: Chace Nelson took command of Battery S, 2nd Battalion, 10th Marines in September 2021 after the battery’s activation as one of the two first HIMARS batteries on the East Coast. In May 2022, they transitioned to a composite battery with HIMARS, M777A2, and radar teams. In July 2023, the Battery deployed with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit

Class of

Class of 2013: Elliot “Ellie” Rose Noll, daughter of Sean and Kate Noll, was born Feb. 7, 2024.

Class of 2012: Ben Denton at his Army Reserve change of command ceremony.

2013: Murphy and Quinn Noll, daughters of Sean and Kate Noll, with their new sister, Ellie.

(Special Operations Capable) and operated between Europe and the Middle East until recent conflicts put them on crisis response missions in the Eastern Mediterranean and Red Sea areas. Additionally, Chace married Valeria Selles in December 2022 in a courthouse ceremony in Jacksonville, North Carolina. Their official ceremony will be in June in Montana. Congratulations to them both!

Sean Noll and Katherine “Kate” (Collins) Noll joyously welcomed their third baby into the world Feb. 7, 2024. Elliot “Ellie” Rose Noll came into the world at 8 pounds to join her parents and two very happy big sisters, Quinn and Murphy. A big welcome to Ellie, and congratulations to the Nolls!

That’s all for now. Thank you for sending those updates, and please continue to do so! Be well!

Annie, Rob, and Mike

2014

My Dear, Dear Brother Rats, I hope everyone had a wonderful and funfilled holiday season. There is nothing like the last six weeks of the year. Work slows down, the Christmas feel is in the air, and it is a great time to reflect and set goals for next year. I encourage

each and every one of you to set some goals, knock one or two items off your bucket list, and make plans for a fun vacation with friends or family. This year, I am setting out to improve my diet (eat healthier and cut down on sweets), get a 500 out of 600 on my ACFT, and complete a marathon. As with all good friends, I expect you all to hold me accountable to these goals.

Also, as part of your 2024 plans, please make sure you RSVP and sign up to attend the 10th Reunion. It is going to be one grand party with fun dinners, activities, social events, fun, laughter, and excitement.

Quick 10th Reunion updates:

1.Mark Sept. 20–21, 2024, on your calendar! This will be our reunion weekend! You may want to start making lodging reservations sooner rather than later.

2.Please do not forget to update your contact information with the Alumni Association. (Please contact me or Abby if you have any issues.) If a BR on the Reunion Outreach Committee has already gotten your updated info, you’re good to go. Proceed to No. 3.

3.If you are able to, please consider a donation to the VMI Foundation or to the 2014 Class Fund. Our class memorial scholarship is only $50,000 away from being endowed and able to award annual scholarships to cadets. Personally, I donate $50/month to help build up the scholarship.

At the beginning of November, Corey Reinecke finally completed the final phase of his Military Intelligence Captains Career Course out in Fort Huachuca, Arizona. Glad to see I wasn’t the only person on the guard/reserve side who was procrastinating doing CCC. Congratulations, Corey! Now time to start looking at ILE!

On Nov. 9, 2023, the VMI Club of Richmond held their annual meeting and casino night at the Willow Oaks Country Club in Richmond. It was a wonderful night to catch up with a bunch a Keydets! 2014 was well-represented with Michael Mayhew, Ted Gottwald, Aaron White, Daniel Kitchen, Chase Barnett, and myself. And I have to give a shoutout to Pat Coor ’13, Frank Hargrove ’15, and Sam Hunter ’15 for putting on a great event! Awesome job, gents!

Then, two days later, on Veterans Day, Daniel Kitchen and I ran the Richmond Half Marathon. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find Daniel, but what is really funny is that we started in Group K together, and we finished within 15-20 seconds of each other. And we still never saw each

Class of 2013: Chace Nelson proposes to his fiancée, Valeria Selles.

Class of 2013: U.S. Army Maj. Chace Nelson’s battery, Battery S, 2nd Battalion, 10th Marines. Currently attached to 1st Battalion, 6th Marines, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable).

Class of 2013: U.S. Army Maj. Chace Nelson with officers from the Greek 32nd Marine Brigade in Litochoro, Greece.

Samuel Guidry

Johnny Partin

other! Oh, well, maybe next year we will have better luck finding each other.

About mid-November, ole Ross Anderson decided to take a little trip to a little river to do a little fishing. While out on the Piankatank River, he caught a not-so-little 28inch fish! Great catch, man! Better you than me; too cold for fishing in November.

Right before Thanksgiving, Brian Lawrenz completed the IPC course and is headed off to complete LOFT and IOE. For us laymen, Brian completed the initial proficiency check before he can fly actual passengers around in an Airbus. Awesome job, man! Best of luck as you finish your training and certification.

Two days before Thanksgiving, Quentin O’Neal brought his son, Robbie, to the monthly USASOC HQ memorial PT event. He completed the entire 3-mile walk without complaining (Quentin was rucking). Not only is Robbie a great walker, but he woke up before Quentin did, full of excitement. I see a future Keydet in the making!

The day before Thanksgiving, Billy Cheatham reached out to send me some good news. He and his wife, Amy, are expecting a baby in June 2024! Exciting stuff, y’all, and “Little Cheatham” will be here just in time for a great debut at our reunion in the fall! Congratulations, Billy and Amy; I know y’all will make great parents!

Over the Thanksgiving extended weekend, I got to catch up with Alex Falcetti and Parker Blazevich. Both are doing really well. Alex got married back in April 2023 and has been working in Northern Virginia at the NRO. It’s been a busy year for him with lots of traveling, work, and of course, a grand wedding. He and his wife live in the Ashburn Farms area, not too far from Corey Reinecke

Parker got out of the Army and went to law school right before COVID-19 started. With COVID-19 going on at the time, our former Honor Court prosecutor got the opportunity of a lifetime; Parker got to take the bar exam from the comforts of his home in his PJs. On a serious note, Parker and Leslie welcomed their daughter, Julia, into the world Jan. 6, 2023. Congratulations, y’all!

Also during the Thanksgiving holiday, Matthew Ray and his family made the move to Fort Knox, Kentucky. The pictures of watching the boys help get your house ready and doing some Lowes shopping were priceless! Best of luck in your new assignment!

Then, at the end of November, salty ole Kyle Reavis left St. Kitts and is now in Washington, D.C., as a gourmet chef at a Michelin-star restaurant called Tail Up Goat. They are super fancy and serve sixcourse meals. Congratulations on this super awesome accomplishment and new job Kyle! Can’t wait to visit you.

Abby (Dawson) Waterbury got to catch up with Lucas Champion over the Thanksgiving break. Lucas is excelling in the Peace Corps. He is still in the American Samoa Islands. He is working on creating a library for the children over there. If you would like to donate some of your books, reading levels second through eighth grade, please reach out to Abby or myself; we are going to send some over to Lucas. Fun side note: Lucas is drawing a VMI mural at the library. The mural will be of VMI’s Old, New, and Third Barracks. 2014 is really making a difference around the world! Once I get a picture of the finished mural, I will include it in the class notes!

Speaking around the world, Cabell Willis is still down in Argentina as a foreign service officer. He was in D.C. back in December, and unfortunately, our schedules didn’t jive together, so I wasn’t able to see him in person. But we spoke over the phone. He and his wife have settled down in their place and love their jobs. They highly recommend visiting Argentina in October-November (their springtime). It is positively gorgeous.

At the beginning of December, I caught up with the Wells twins! Both are doing great!

Jesse Wells is still in the Air Force and is stationed in California. By the time you read these notes, he will be promoted to major! Congratulations, Jesse! You continue to excel and showcase the best the Air Force has to offer!

Josh Wells is leaving Crewe, Virginia, and taking a new job in Chicago, Illinois. He will be the technical product manager at G&W Electric in Bolingbrook, right outside of Chicago. He is very excited about this new opportunity.

Class of 2014: Pictured at the Richmond Chapter’s annual casino night at the Willow Oaks Country Club are (from left) Johnny Partin, Chase Barnett, Daniel Kitchen, Aaron White, Ted Gottwald, and Michael Mayhew.

Class of 2014: Parker and Leslie Blazevich with their daughter, Julia.

Class of 2014: Ben Kier, Ben Osen, and Abby Dawson Waterbury near Fort Liberty, North Carolina, in January 2024.

Congratulations, Josh; keep up the good work!

Ben Smith has left the Sunshine State and is now working in St. Louis, Missouri.

Congratulations to Patrick Pizzaro! He was promoted to lieutenant commander (for us non-Navy peeps, that’s the equivalent of a major). Keep up the excellent work, Patrick!

On Dec. 3, 2022, James Wiltshire crushed his first 70.3 Ironman. He did one close to him in California. Congratulations, James, on this huge accomplishment! Can’t wait to see you do a full Ironman in the future!

Tim Boersig and I caught up briefly on Facebook Messenger. He has switched from the Indiana Active National Guard to the Massachusetts Active National Guard to fly the F-15C instead of the A-10 and to be closer to his side of his family. He is still hoping to attend the Air Force’s Weapons School.

During one of our reunion planning meetings, Hannah Best told me that Rachel Sing got married! Rachel and Michael tied the knot Oct. 29, 2023, in Greensboro, North Carolina. Hannah sent me some pictures, and it was a beautiful ceremony! Congratulations! Wishing y’all many years of blissful marriage.

In early December, Sabina (Montgomery) Crites ran into David Himot at the SFAB Ball. Both were stylin’ and profilin’!

Around mid-December, I was on the VMI website looking for some information about the Institute, and I noticed one of our BRs got a nice promotion. Mary (Schriver) Noe is now the deputy director of recruitment for VMI’s admissions office. And if that wasn’t enough good news, she and her husband welcomed a darling little girl into the world Dec. 9, 2023. Emilia Ann Noe arrived at 10:25 p.m. with a weight of 4 pounds, 2 ounces, and a length of 17 inches. Congratulations, Mary, on this promotion and your new daughter!

Also in mid-December, Tom Bower and I caught up. Tom has spent the last five years in Charleston and Savannah with the Coast Guard. He is now stationed in Seattle, Washington, and is the commanding officer of a Coast Guard small boat. He loves this new job and says it is the best job he has ever had.

Right before Christmas, I got to catch up with two of our Marine BRs: Tim Potter and Kord Pauley. Both are doing really well, and by the time these notes are published, they will both be majors in the U.S. Marine Corps. Tim is a pilot and married with four children! It is one thing to be a pilot. It’s another thing to be a Marine, but

holy smokes, a father of four children; you’re a tough man. My hat is off to y’all! And happy belated congratulations on your growing family! Kord is stationed at Camp Pendleton, California. He is an instructor pilot for Cobras, so he trains the new Marines how to fly. Kord told me that Joe Porzio and John Delekto also picked up their gold oak leaves. Congratulations, BRs!

After Christmas, I got to catch up briefly with Amber Joyner. She got married Sept. 30, 2023, to Brooks Elliot Rogers. At the end of December, she and her hubby went on their honeymoon to Cambodia and Thailand. Congratulations, Amber; wishing you many, many good years of happy marriage.

Right before the new year, Dec. 30, 2023, Daniel Kitchen and his wife, Alexandra, welcomed an adorable little girl, Parker Marie Kitchen. Congratulations, Daniel and Alexandra, on your new addition to the family!

Eva Edelbrock and Flora Edelbrock hosted a small New Year’s party up in Centreville.

Eric Triassi and I attended, and we all sang five hours of straight karaoke into 2024. On New Year’s Day, I did my very first virtual 5K, so I was able to check that box on my bucket list. We even did a polar plunge.

Just a few days later, Tyler Cross proposed to her fiancée, Crystal Houchins. Congratulations, Tyler! I can’t wait to see the pictures of the wedding planning. Talk about starting the new year off with some wonderful news.

Beginning the first week of January 2024, I started the first phase of the Public Affairs Officer Course (which is distance learning for five to six months). If all goes well, then I will do phase two (two weeks in person in Maryland) in the summer and be qualified before the reunion. Holla!

On Jan. 4, 2024, Jonathan Vignali became a daddy! He and his wife welcomed their first child, Jack Henry Vignali, into the world. Congratulations, y’all! We are so excited for y’all.

While drilling at Fort Barfoot (yesterday’s Pickett) Jan. 9, I got a message from Nathan Couteret. He is still a cyber security staff officer with the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, and doing very well. He was promoted to lieutenant commander. There were some scheduling conflicts and delays with the ceremony and promotion, but he “got ’er done,” and the gold oak leaf is shining brightly on his chest. Congratulations, Nathan!

Also, I heard from Andrew La Belle. He is doing well. He got out of the Army back in 2019

and is now a pilot. I have a lot more faith in our airways knowing that Andrew is at the helm, safely delivering all of us on our work trips and vacations. Congratulations, Andrew, on this new chapter!

After dealing with the aftermath of the great flood of Jan. 9, 2024, it put a smile on my face to hear back from several BRs. Nothing like catching up with BRs while you’re cleaning up your flooded basement. Hahaha.

Kodiak Bowers was in Arizona with Kyle Patten, doing some skydiving escapades. Gents, I’m still waiting for those photos!

Daniel Oberlander is up at Fort Meade in Maryland with the Army and is excited about the upcoming reunion.

Alec Thompson is doing well. I think Hollywood is knocking on his door because he was mighty hush-hush when I asked him what TV show he was going to be on next.

It sounded like the Alpha Power Hour! Hahaha.

Pierce McKean and I caught up for a bit near the end of January. He is doing well and still in the Army. He’s been at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland, for the past year-and-a-half to two years. He is in the 20th CBRNE CMD G3. He is loving his job. In his own words, “Typing away OPORDS and leaving at 5 every day.” Keep up, Pierce; I may try to recruit you to the Virginia National Guard. Several of our officers need lessons in writing clearly and precisely.

Pierce also told me that Nick Longaker is up at Aberdeen, as well, with the testing command.

On Jan. 26, 2024, Jesse Wells and his wife welcomed Braxton Shawn Wells to this world. Congratulations, Jesse and Amanda, on your growing family. Little Braxton is absolutely precious!

I’ll wrap up our class notes with several shoutouts to our BRs who are successful entrepreneurs, small business owners, and leaders of a nonprofit organization. If you are in the area of any of the BRs below, please stop by, visit, and support them.

Sabina (Montgomery) Crites is breaking out into the world of entrepreneurship! She opened up a drink bar where you can get IVs, etc. to help stay hydrated and to improve your health! It is called The DRIPBaR of Fayetteville. Keep up the amazing work, Sabina!

William Breakell started up his own company back in 2017 called Blazy Susan. His Colorado-based business was just ranked on the Inc.

Class Notes

5000 list! Congratulations, Will, on this major success and wishing you continued success and growth.

Meg (Doss) Pileggi started a church in Eastern North Carolina called Collective Church. They completed their residency in June and have been building their team. Awesome job, Meg! You and your husband are doing great things. You’re doing an excellent job with the

Class of 2014: Pierce McKean and his wife, Emily, enjoy a snow day in Maryland with their children, Franklin, Lilly, and Weston.

Class of 2014: Cody Holder and his wife, Taylor, take their sons, Riley and Nolan, to visit Santa Claus.

Lord’s work. Proud of y’all!

Jack Dixon and his wife opened up their small business, Riverbank Farms, in Elkton, Virginia. They provide pasture-raised, non-GMO fed, vaccine/antibiotic-free meat products. They raise, own, and process all of their chickens on the farm and sell directly to customers and restaurants. They are working on going wholesale to groceries and adding pork, sheep, and hopefully beef to their products in 2024. Additionally, they operate a three-bedroom, twoand-a-half-bath short-term rental home on the farm and have a wedding and event venue on the farm.

Riley Newsome is a partner in his family’s business. It is called Damon Company and is a manufacturing company. They produce a variety of parts and do metal stamping! Sounds like Riley is quietly becoming the next Andrew Carnegie!

Joey Dassoulas is also a partner in his family’s business. The family business is called Hope Builders and operates out of Gaithersburg, Maryland. They are a general contractor and equipment repair company for restaurants. They do work in Virginia, Maryland, and D.C.

As always, if you have updates that you would like to have included in the class notes, please feel free to send them my way. Remember only four months until the reunion! Until next time, BRs, keep those smiles for miles!

In BR Spirit, Johnny Partin

2015

HenryMeredith

Johnny McDonald

Class of 2015: Graham Thomas Jordan was born Sept. 13, 2023.

Greetings, Keydets!

Big set of notes here; let’s jump right in!

I myself am privileged to have been in attendance at Frank Hargrove’s wedding to Lindsey Patton Sept. 9 in Richmond, Virginia. As you can see from the picture, lots of Keydets in attendance. The boys generally behaved themselves. Wonderful time celebrating with friends

Class of 2015: Matt Meadows with Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

Class notes

coming from near and far.

Kristen (Voss) Walter finished her Master of Arts degree in English studies this past September at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich.

Tyler Hacker was married Jan. 12 to Alicia Urrutia in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, with some good BRs in attendance—Jake Iapicca, Alex Palagyi, and Tyler Hallam.

Nick Mahin received a Master of Science in Applied Physics degree from Johns Hopkins University this past December.

Cody Pillow started volunteer firefighting with his local station in Crozet, Virginia. He’s passed Fire Fighter I and recently took his Hazmat Operations test. Cody tells me that if he passed, he’ll no longer be considered a rookie.

Taylor Monfort-Eaton got engaged Dec. 24, 2023, and the wedding is scheduled for June 26, 2024!

Chantal Stark-Zupancic got out of the Army in July 2023, stayed in Colorado Springs, and is now a K-2 CLDE teacher (culturally and linguistically diverse education).

Tyler Hanson graduated VCU with a BSN and has since started working at the VCU MRICU.

Brad Anuszkiewicz and his wife welcomed their second son, Levi, into

the world Jan. 11, 2024!

Joe Schmieley took command of the U.S. Army’s only Arctic Signal Company back in September 2023 in a BCT and is about to go through another JPMRC rotation in Alaska.

Joe says it’s recently warmed up from -40 to just above zero, and they’re all sweating!

Jennifer (Woodcock) Shelton’s son, Cayden

Douglas Shelton, was born Nov. 25, 2023.

Tyler Brickles is currently deployed to CENTCOM. In late January, he was out at a few undisclosed locations in the Middle East doing base environmental health assessments to prepare for the boogaloo.

William Jordan was excited to share the birth of his “honorable young man,” Graham Thomas Jordan, born Sept. 13, 2024, weighing 8 pounds, 2 ounces!

Dave Messina ’10 reached out to me to share an update about my fellow Bravo Company BR, Nick Maul. Dave shared that Nick totally kicked @$# as his lead engineer on a project, and Dave was proud to be able to support Nick in receiving a promotion to engineering supervisor; congrats, Nick!

Matt Meadows had the privilege of escorting Virginia Gov. Youngkin when he came through Augusta County. Matt also recently had the chance to catch up with a fellow BR Tyler Hanson and says there were no bear trap sightings. Aside from that, Matt continues to serve in the National Guard and was promoted to captain after his deployment to Djibouti, Africa.

Thanks for reading, friends. If you hadn’t seen my Facebook post back in February, alumni can now vote on

Class of 2015: Stewart Hargrove ’12, Quinn Ellis, Ben Field, Sam Hunter, Beckh Robertson ’21, Ryan Long, Wes Jacobs, Whit Kern ’14, Henry Meredith, Reid Anderson ’16, Isaac Copes, Kevin Kneisler, Mark Morgan ’84, J.C. Wood, Kyle Martin, Owen Dugger, Ben Khandan-Barani ’16, Hayden Whetstone, Nick Maul, and Robert de Wolff ’16 attend the wedding of Frank Hargrove and Lindsey Patton.

Class of 2015: Jake Iapicca, Alex Palagyi, and Tyler Hallam at the wedding of Tyler Hacker and Alicia Urrutia.

Class of 2015: Tyler Brickles is deployed to CENTCOM.

BOD nominees electronically, as of this year’s spring annual meeting. If you have questions about how that works, please reach out. You can update your email address by contacting Ruth Clark at 800-444-1839, ext. 200, or via email at rclark@vmiaa.org.

Rah Virginia Mil, Henry Meredith

2016

MurphyKerner

HunterMorgan

I hope everyone had a great start to the year. By the time you are reading this, we will be halfway through the year and ready for another season of VMI football. Not as many updates this time, but a few important ones.

There are more future Keydets to celebrate, as Connor Mildrum and his wife, Alexandra Mildrum, welcomed their son, Charles William Mildrum, Nov. 28, 2023.

Congratulations to a few of our classmates who have started new roles. Logan Waters just started a job at General Dynamics in applied physical science since we last talked. Jamie Tavenner has relocated to the Richmond, Virginia, area.

Aidan O’Connor, Tommy Lester, the wife of Patrick Eberhart, and Nina Srikongyos ’15 all spent the weekend with Austin Murga’s parents in Southport, North Carolina, for the Sept. 16 third annual Capt. Austin Murga Memorial Golf Tournament Fundraiser and Silent Auction. $105,000 was raised for StopSoldierSuicide.org, a 501(c)3

organization that provides 100% free/100% confidential counseling for all active military and veterans, no matter where one resides as the services are provided over the phone. Stay on the lookout for more information on the event for 2024; this is an amazing event that supports a very important cause. Thank you to everyone in our class who has been a part of it. Regardless of where you are in the country, you can participate in the efforts that the Murgas have spearheaded to remember and honor Austin. Stay on the lookout for more info on both the memorial golf tournament, as well as the Murga Challenge workout this fall that can be competed in virtually.

Thanks to those who sent in updates for this Review, and if you have anything to add for next time, do not hesitate to reach out. RVM ’16.

2017

These notes cover the period from Nov. 16, 2023–Feb. 15, 2024.

Good morning, Class of ’17! ... or whatever time it is in your respective parts of the world. I hope all of you and your families have enjoyed the first half of 2024. 2024 ... wow, are we all about to be 30 next year? Yeesh! It has been quite a quarter for me, as I am sure it has been for all of you! I will preface these notes by saying that this issue will likely be shorter than my last two. That is not because I feel the need to make them shorter; I still feel compelled to do my degree justice and fill out as much as I can. However, this particular quarter has been filled with travel and other activities that prevented me from making quite as many cold calls as I have become used to. As a result, I reached a smaller number of class members than I had previously. Rest

Class of 2016: Charles Mildrum, son of Alexandra and Connor Mildrum, was born in November 2023.

Class of 2016: Aidan O’Connor, Tommy Lester, and Nina Srikongyos ’15 at the third annual Capt. Austin Murga Memorial Golf Tournament and Silent Auction.

Michael P. Griffin

assured, I’ll be back to pester you all again soon! However, I was quite happy to see some inputs trickling into my email over the last few months from class members and parents! So, thank you for reading these notes and reaching out! Now, without further ado, let’s get to the good stuff.

Way back (slightly before this issue is supposed to encompass) in October, I attended the wedding of Cody and Amanda Bottoms. As I mentioned in the last issue, I didn’t get a chance to include any pictures then, but Mrs. B.has kindly shared a few photos that I will include here for you all! Check them out above, below, or somewhere beside these notes. Cody and I exchanged some messages back and forth throughout the fall/winter in an effort to coordinate some video game nights and share memes. Cody has had a regular influx of trainees to manage, which takes up a substantial amount of time, but he should be moving to his next job sometime in winter 2024 or spring 2025.

Once we got to November, Will Cannon reached out to me after seeing some posts on the Class of ’17 Facebook page. He let me know that he was doing well out in North Carolina with his wife, Natalie, and their daughter, Caroline. Hope the new year has been kind to you and your family, Will!

us, but it was good to hear from Phil Pryor ’14, Ben Kier ’14, Brandon Dodd ’14, and Tom Campbell ’14, as well as our own BRs Austin States, Mark Roberts, Matt Coleman, and Nate Whitmer. We were also courteously reminded by the ’14ers of the anniversary of Breakout several months later. As Ben so eloquently put it, “A rat is always a rat.” That same month, I received word that the Geisinger

Ashley McManus and I spoke in late December. She was able to head back to the East Coast for the holidays and spend them with her family despite the ever-present nature of winter colds. She also back-briefed me on a few concerts she attended that fall, as well as a trip to NYC with her sister, Allyson, and Malcolm Thomas.

Shortly thereafter, we hit Christmas, which led to a Facebook call with Shu-Hao Yang out in Taiwan. He just became the proud parent of his second cat, which I now see pictures of whenever I open Facebook.

Shortly thereafter, I received a message from Matt Johnson out in Kansas. His message included a video on the history of Alice Cooper, which a rock and metal guy like me is always happy to delve into. In addition, Matt let me know that he and his wife, Alyssa, spent Thanksgiving with Matt’s parents, though I confess, I can’t remember who traveled to see whom. In any case, I’m glad you were able to spend some time with the family!

Around the same time, the members of and the rats of Room 107 circa 2014 (if my memory isn’t failing me) had a small Facebook chat going to see if we could get a ski trip planned for the spring. It seems like this particular season of life was a little busy for a number of

Commonwealth School of Medicine conferred a Doctor of Medicine degree upon Calum Wallace (picture included somewhere on this page or the next). Dr. Wallace will be completing his four-year OB/GYN residency at the Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pennsylvania. Congratulations, Calum! Wishing you all the best as you go through your residency.

The same day, I got holiday greetings/messages from Cody and Amanda Bottoms, Matt and Alyssa Johnson, Mack and Deelan Shehee, and Joe Baumann and his family. In addition, I got an email from Nick Mullet and Sierra (Payne) Mullet about the mini reunion they hosted over New Year’s. In attendance were Danny King, Mike Swinney, and Alex Chang (pictures included somewhere on this page or the next). It was great to hear from all of you!

As we moved into 2024, I finally got the word on where I’ll be headed for my summer PCS ... drumroll, please ... the garden spot of America, scenic, Wichita, Kansas! In all seriousness, though, I am excited for the move. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed Montgomery, Alabama, but it’s time to see something new, and I see no reason that it shouldn’t be cows, corn, and grass. On the upside, I will be a short drive (relatively speaking for a kid from those tiny states up in New England) from Matt and Alyssa Johnson and their two dog-children, Rosie and Daisy, up at Fort Riley, Kansas. Unfortunately, I will not be stopping in to visit so many of you while I move back Northeast as I had initially hoped, but I’m excited to see what Central USA has in store. If any of you intend to contact me with notes for the next issue, please keep in mind that I will be moving in mid-June, so you may not get a quick reply during that timeframe. I’ll do my best to keep everything straight, though!

As we drew nearer to the Super Bowl, I heard

Class of 2017: Pictured on New Year’s Eve in Alexandria, Virginia, are (from left) Alex Chang, Michael Swinney, Sierra (Payne) Mullet, Nick Mullet, and Danny King.

Class of 2017: Pictured are (from left) Alex Chang, Nick Mullet, Russell Mullet, Danny King, and Michael Swinney.

the States from South Korea. They are currently stationed at Fort Liberty, where Warren is assigned to the 19th Field Artillery Brigade. He looks forward to taking battery command in the near future and seems exceptionally excited to be living off a diet comprised of more than “kimchi and rice.”

Shortly after my email from Warren, I got a call from Joe Baumann. He was keeping up with VMI athletics like a good alumnus and updated me on the (somewhat comical) score of that evening’s basketball game. Joe is now the head coach of the softball team at Holloman Air Force Base and has become very involved in the base’s athletic activities. All those years of playing, as far as I can tell, this is a fitting next step. Joe is also planning a trip to Mexico in the near future as part of (what I assume is) a much-needed vacation.

from a few other BRs, the first of whom was Luke Johnson. Luke was another D-Co guy, but out of the goodness of his heart, he took in a few BRs from other companies while we were at VMI (Ryan Pritchard, Will Johnston, and Jason Poling, more specifically). After we graduated, Luke went through Engineer BOLC and Airborne for the Army before getting assigned to Fort Bragg. After spending some time there working hurricane reconstruction efforts and other major projects, he was deployed to Afghanistan to conduct route clearance with our NATO allies and JET teams (U.S. Marine Corps). Shortly thereafter, he went back to North Carolina to become the XO of his previous unit. This time, he worked on construction projects for special operations, like rebuilding three drop zones. It was awesome to hear all the great things that have happened since we graduated, Luke! Luke is actually about to separate from the Army this year and has been working with Andrew Bradshaw to transition into the civilian workforce while out-processing at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.

The last BR I heard from around this point was Ashley McManus. I’m pretty sure she was checking in to see if I was aware of the Super Bowl, due to my lack of sports knowledge. She had a small get-together with friends from work to watch the game and also told me that she is planning a trip to see Malcolm Thomas sometime this March so they can go to Phoenix and see some capybaras. I am told Malcolm has developed a fascination with them as of late. I’ll expect photos for the next issue!

The next person who reached out to me was

Lukas Snear. Lukas reached out to give me some updated contact information for the class roster. He also let me know he was selling his house that week, so I hope the process went smoothly, bro rat!

Next, I heard from Warren Jackson. Warren and his wife, Abigail, recently moved back to

Thank you to all those who provided updates. It was awesome to hear from each of you, and I hope you will all reach out regularly! For those I didn’t hear from, I’ll be reaching out soon! Last plug from me: A number of you have moved, gotten married, changed last names, etc., since we graduated. If you are reading this and haven’t talked to me in the last 12 months or so, there is a chance I am working off of outdated information for you. I’m going down my list and working to confirm relevant data so we can get messages out to the class, but I can use your help! If you are a classmate, a parent or spouse of a classmate, or have accurate numbers for people in the class, please do not hesitate to call, text, or email me. Thanks in advance for your assistance! That’s all from me for now. Take care, all! Rah, ’17.

Class of 2017: Amanda and Cody Bottoms were married in St. Louis, Missouri, in October 2023.

Class of 2017: Calum Wallace, M.D.

Class of 2017: Attending the wedding of Cody and Amanda Bottoms in St. Louis, Missouri, in October 2023 are (from left) Michael Griffin, Alyssa Johnson, Matt Johnson, Amanda Bottoms, Cody Bottoms, Elizabeth Griffin, and Pat Griffin ’80.

2018

Will Woodward ReaganGoulla

Hello, Brother Rats, Happy

New Year! For those of you who are unaware, both Reagan and I have become the new class agents for our class. We would like to first say thank you to those who gave us the vote of confidence by allowing us to take up the role. We both hope to bring the class closer together as we grow further from our shared time at VMI. A few notes about us as an introduction.

From Reagan Goulla: Hi, all. A little about me: I’m an Army cyber captain stationed at Meade! I currently live in D.C. and would love to host anyone passing through! I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve the class and excited to hear about what everyone has going on in their lives!

From Will “Woody” Woodward: I just moved back to Virginia after spending the last five years in Maine with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. So, for those of you who may come home

from trips abroad travelling through Dulles, like Chetelat, you may see me in the Customs hall. I am also currently working on my second bachelor’s in business administration and just became the first committee member of our 2018 Memorial Scholarship fund.

Now on to the updates!

Anna Conover married Ryan Combs Sept. 23, 2023, and apologizes for diverting alumni attendance from ’18’s reunion on the same day. In attendance were Scott Kerchberger, Noah Chetelat,

Mark Persinger, Caitlyn Casten, Jack and Rose Pierce, Tyler and Samantha Dejoe, Rachel Jankelow ’17, and Nathan Moore ’16. Nathan did his best to upstage the bride with an Old Yell.

Nick Steinmetz got married to Ellen Dec. 30, 2023. He’s currently a troop commander in Fort Wainwright, Alaska.

McKenzie Raber tied the knot with Sean Bowling and is now McKenzie Raber Bowling April 15, 2023! Samantha Shepherd was her maid of honor. In attendance were Bethany (King) White and Brandon White ’17, along with Dr. Daniel Harrison ’05 and his family. Continuing with the good news of 2023, McKenzie also graduated from medical school from Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, and she is now in her pediatrics residency and active duty Navy at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. McKenzie’s husband, Sean, is currently in orthopedic surgery residency at York Hospital in New York, Pennsylvania.

We would like to wish Julia Daly’s dog, Maple, a happy fourth birthday! Reagan begrudgingly states that both she and the dog share a birthday (Jan. 26), but it is quite clear who the favorite of the two is in Julia’s eyes. There were questions of whether a dog photo is acceptable to be submitted; the answer from us is yes.

For further education, the following of our BRs have attained degrees recently: Reagan Goulla earned a Master of Science in Cybersecurity degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology. She states that her master’s was cheaper than her VMI tuition.

Another thing we would like to start: Reagan and I would like to take the time to update the class on the other things in all of our lives that aren’t births and weddings. Just a few sentences about things you’d like the class to know. What ship, unit, or company you are with; promotions; moves; any hobbies or things you are excited about. When we have room, we will post these updates from anyone who wants to tell the class about what they are otherwise up to. So, the following are some people who have given in a few items to update the class on for their lives.

Nathan Dugie is married and still in the Navy on shore duty at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story. And he is still flying his drones.

Jacob Foley is now full-time with the Army at Fort Barfoot and still riding horses in his spare time.

Next, something that is near and dear to my heart—I have taken the role of one of the committee members for the management of the 2018

Class of 2018: Attending Nick Steinmetz’s wedding are Matt Johnson, Cole Taggart, Jonathan Collings, Nick Steinmetz, Ellen Steinmetz (bride), Jordan Drake, and Brian Macaluso-Stafford.

Class of 2018: Bobby L. Fitch IV, son of Tripp Fitch and his wife, Kalisa, was born Aug. 12, 2023.

Memorial Scholarship fund. I’d like to invite anyone else who is interested to join the committee. I made a post on Facebook outlining this role, but essentially committee members would help in running the operations of the fund. Who is selected to get the scholarship? What requirements do we make for applicants to be eligible? Fundraising, etc.

Currently, the fund is valued at around $8,800 and pays out roughly $400 a year in financial aid. This is the way we promote the vision we have for VMI. We get an opportunity to make sure the types of cadets we want graduating from our school do

so with less college debt. We give a chance to make sure that someone who may not be able to afford it can stay at the school. I’d ask you all to take some time to think about what you took from VMI and if you believe you’d like to give back.

Lastly, as the new class agents, we will be using the class Facebook page more heavily, so keep an eye out there for announcements for events, points of order, requests for help, etc. I’ve been making

a push to have informal events in my local area monthly to get together with some of you all. For any interested, I’ll be trying my best to continue these meetups in the Northern Virginia area every month and hope this may inspire some other groups in other areas. The good news is Reagan is also in the area, if traffic does not hinder her way to get across the river. Let’s not just talk about meetups every five years.

For those not on social media, we are also reachable by email or cell. Hit us up anytime. We appreciate any and all comments sent our way.

We wish you well. To the best damn class in barracks!

Woody and Reagan

2019

Nathan D.A. Mumford

AnnikaK.Tice

Brother Rats,

It is with the saddest heart that I write this note in memory of our Brother Rat Jack Casey, who recently lost his life in a tragic helicopter accident alongside four of his fellow Marines. We dedicate this class note to Jack, someone who touched many of our lives within the walls of the Institute and beyond. Our prayers go out to his family and the other affected families. I fondly remember him for his height and his bold leadership, towering and commanding India Company. Even though I did not have classes with him or

Class of 2018: Nathan Moore ’16, Scott Kerchberger, Tyler DeJoe, Jack Pierce, Caitlyn Casten, Anna Conover, Rachel Jankelow ’17, Noah Chetelat, and Mark Persinger at Anna’s wedding.

Class of 2018: Charlotte DePew, daughter of Colton DePew and his wife, Veronica, was born Jan. 19, 2024.

Class of 2018: Beckett and Carver Dewitt Baldwin, sons of Caleb and Haley Baldwin.

Class of 2019: Jack Casey and Tara James lead Company I during a workout.

live in the barracks next to him, we all knew Jack in some capacity. Everybody knows Jack Casey! I want to thank everyone for bringing forward memories and photographs across all social media outlets. Daniel Chisner shared four lessons he learned from Jack’s ability to tackle anything that would cross his path.

Eli Facemire sent a beautiful message to our class and organized a fundraiser to contribute to the expenses his loved ones will face.

Brother rats from all over Virginia gathered in the courtyard to honor Jack’s legacy alongside

the current Corps of Cadets. Professors, alums, and The Citadel rivals even took time to extend condolences. If there is one thing that stands for sure, it is that the Class of 2019, the VMI family, and people around the world feel this loss, and we choose to come together and take care

other. Forever and always. I am so proud

of each

of the

Tara James sent me photos by email of his infectious smile, even when running!

Class of 2019: Jack Casey at the rank announcements ceremony during his 2nd Class year.

Class of 2019: Corbin Stynes, Jack Casey, and Tara James on a House Mountain hike.

Class of 2019: During Ring Figure weekend are (from left) Corbin Stynes, Tara James, and Jack Casey.

Class of 2019: Jack Casey, Tara James, and Corbin Stynes during rat training.

bonds, memories, and connections we all share. It is not something that is taken for granted or even lightly.

Parker Davis says, “My favorite story with Jack: We were out on a weekend and waiting for our Uber to come pick us up to go home for the night. Instead of waiting patiently, Jack decides he’s gonna go climb every roof in Salem, Virginia. Sure enough, 15 minutes later, we looked up to see Jack on the rooftops, bounding around downtown Salem like he was Santa Claus. He went all out at everything he did and made everyone around him feel great along the way. There’s no roof too tall for Jack Casey.”

Class of 2020: Attending Anah (Bozentka) O’Brien’s wedding are Charlie Palandati, Madeleine Austin, O’Brien, Kathleen Taggart, and Abigail (Zyk) Murray.

Quinn Hart ’22 remembers, “Jack was one of my uncle dykes back at VMI and a legend me and my BRs all looked up to when we started at the Institute. He was a strong leader and one of the funniest men I knew. Even when we became dykes ourselves, we were still telling stories of the things he did or said that stuck with us throughout our entire cadetship and beyond. Fly high, Jack; you’ll be sorely missed.”

Cedric Murdaugh ’22 remarks, “My company commander, Ironclad India ’19. An exceptional leader and example to us. He turned us from a gaggle of rats into a family of cadets and future leaders. I’ll never forget those night speeches, marching, and the discipline. Words truly can’t express, but his legacy and lessons will live on.”

God bless all who serve our nation and take the ultimate sacrifice. Rest in peace, Jack.

Mizpah, Annika and Nathan

2020

Alexander Dragan

HollyK.Njabo

“Hey, BRs, it’s been a minute, but time has flown by. It’s wild that our rats are already graduated. I hope y’all have been enjoying the last four years of freedom from ‘Mother I’ and finding success

in your careers. As for me, I’ve been traveling all over the country with the cyber department of the Air Force and having a blast. Along the way, I’ve been finding scenic hikes whenever I can, which has been pretty cool. Highlights have included Red Rocks (Nevada), Mount Evans (Colorado), and Mount Charleston (Nevada). Highly recommend any of those if you’re looking for great views. I also participated in the Bataan Memorial Death March in New Mexico, which I also recommend for you masochist types. Anyway, I look forward to seeing y’all at our reunion in the next year or so. Hit me up if any of you find yourself in central NY ... I’ve got another year there before I PCS. Rah, Brad Agee.”

From Atchison for the BRs: “After ABOLC, scout leader course, and Ranger school, spent the last three years at Fort Polk in 10th Mountain Division as Brigade Dismounted Reconnaissance Troop PL, deployed to CENTCOM (Iraq and Kuwait), then spent 18 months as a Motorized Reconnaissance Troop XO. Just started the Maneuver Captain Career Course with Jim Tulskie and Dan O’Connell. This fall, I will move to Fort Irwin to be a 11ACR troop commander. I miss all of you and know you are killing it—if you’re in the Fort Moore/Fort Irwin area, hit me up! Mizaph, brothers.”

Madeleine and Josh Austin live in Pittsboro, North Carolina, with two cats (Mango and Alexander), one dog (Archie), and four chickens. Josh deployed with the U.S. Marine Corps in July 2023 and is aboard the USS Mesa Verde with BR Karl Skerry. He looks forward to returning home to indulge his hobbies of cooking, baking, and learning about (and trying!) wine again. Madeleine is in her second year in a Ph.D. program at the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill, where she studies political theory. She teaches international relations and writes about agrarian political thought. She hopes to return to VMI to teach once she earns her doctorate. In her free time, she writes poetry for Local Culture and plays banjo. In the fall, she met up with BR Carter Johnson while on a trip to meet Wendell Berry and attended the weddings of her roommates, Anah O’Brien and Abigail Murray. She also traveled to West

Class of 2020:

Class of 2020: Nathan Alford completes his tour of duty with the 742nd Missile Squadron at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, in February 2024.

Aiden Atchison, Jimbo Tulskie, and Isaiah Domio gather to watch the 2024 Super Bowl.

8, 2023,

Virginia to “help” BRs Jack and Kathleen Taggart work on their cabin. Madeleine and Josh are looking forward to reuniting, a warm spring, getting more chickens, banjo playing, cooking, and lots of time on the front porch together.

2021

Jonathan Krauss

LeviKennedy

Brother Rats,

Before I begin on the class notes, I want to first inform you of the passing of Jack Casey ’19. To those in India Company, you knew him as a cadre member and a company commander; to those in NROTC, you knew him as a class clown. In whatever way you knew him, he was known for his good sense of humor and great character, but above all, he was known as an embodiment of the Code of a Cadet. Rest in peace, Jack, and Rah 1-9. It feels crazy to say it, but Feb. 3, 2024, our grandrats broke out of the Rat Line and are now newly minted 4th Class cadets! It feels like only yesterday we ourselves were doing the same.

I first want to start out with engagements and marriages: Eric Lane got engaged Nov. 11, and Cameron Terrell got engaged Dec. 26. Tim

Bedford got married in November to his wife, Carly. Austin Wagner married his wife, Breanna, in November, and Tavon Bond got married Dec. 9.In January, Cody Warner and Tyren Cloyd both found out they will soon be fathers.

Now on to births: Corey Iannotta welcomed William Steven Iannotta into the world Jan. 14, 2024! Sam Slagle welcomed his second baby into the world in January, also.

On the military side of things: In November, Jonah Eger qualified as a surface warfare officer onboard USS Russell. During a training exercise, he was reunited with one of his roommates, our Brother Rat Isaiah Weaver! In December, Collin Perry graduated from Marine Corps Boot Camp in Parris Island, South Carolina. He graduated as honor grad and as the platoon guide. Cody Chapple and I were in attendance to see him graduate.

excellence in submarine warfare and operations.

William Bunton Jr. was promoted to inbound supervisor at Southeastern Freight Lines. In December, Connor Davis graduated from the New York City Police Department, and finally, we had some brother rats get together at the 2nd Squadron, 183rd Calvary Regiment ball in December. In attendance were Jared Boileau, Samantha Schwegel, Sullivan Webster, and Bryce Sanford. In December, James Booth attended the 79th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge in Bastogne, Belgium.

As always, brother rats, it’s an honor to serve as your class agent. If there is anything you ever need from me, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Rah ’21, Rah 1-9, Mizpah, Jonathan Krauss

2022

Seth McRoberts

Kelly Rollison

Brother Rats of 2022!

Much has happened during the transition between 2023 and 2024. BRs have returned from deployments, there have been engagements, and

Zach Whear graduated from Naval flight training and is now a Naval aviator. Jordan Russell earned his “gold dolphins” demonstrating

Class of 2020: Brad Agee hiking in the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area in Nevada.

Class of 2021: Pictured at Collin Perry’s graduation from U.S. Marine Corps Boot Camp in Parris Island, South Carolina, Dec.

are (from left) Cody Chapple, Collin, and Jonathan Krauss.

Class of 2021: James Booth attends the 79th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge in Bastogne, Belgium.

Class of 2021: Timothy Bedford and his wife, Carly.

On a lighter note, the only submission we got was from Kaylee Brennan, who just got a new dog! She says: “His name is Miggy, and he’s 1 year old. I rescued him from the local shelter, and I believe he’s a papillon mix. He loves his Lamb Chop stuffed animal, going on hikes, and attending doggy daycare.” Congrats, Kaylee; you’ll definitely have to bring Miggy to a reunion!

As always, we enjoy hearing from you all, so please continue to keep us updated and send us any news about all accomplishments—professional and personal! Be sure to follow us on our class Instagram page, @vmi_2023, as well. Rah, ’23!

some have even blessed us with new or future members of the ’22 family! McKenna Dunn and Dane Hamilton returned to Norfolk, Virginia, after eight months aboard the USS Normandy serving in the Mediterranean.

Nick Cho and Claire Lee got engaged over the holiday season, as well as Ryan McCall and his fiancée, Abby.

Kaylee Wedding Nase and Justin Nase welcomed Pennelope LeeAnne into the world Jan. 15. Justin also graduated from the Columbus, Georgia, fire and EMS academy.

Carter Johnson got married to his wife, Lauren, in August 2023.

Nate Roach and his partner, Victoria, welcomed baby Lukas Kirkov Roach this past November, as well.

Michael Santos and his partner, Laney, also welcomed baby Beckham Santos Jan. 21, 2024.

Nich Shier and his wife are expecting their first baby in a couple of months.

Jessica (Hankin) Musgrave and her husband, Thomas Musgrave, are expecting their first baby in August 2024, too!

In more somber news, the Class of 2022 wants to give their condolences to BR John Delaney, our BRs from India Company, and our dykes’ class for the loss of U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Jack Casey ’19, who was one of the pilots involved in the helicopter crash in California this past February. He was a dedicated and inspirational leader as the India Company commander our rat year, as well as an outstanding Marine.

For now, we hope that everyone in ’22 is doing well and will continue to do great things for our nation and our communities at home and abroad.

2023

Jacob C. Sekerak

DennisonC.Kelly

Greetings, Brother Rats!

We hope you are all doing well; if you can believe it, by the time you are reading this, we have officially been out of barracks for a full year! Isn’t it crazy to think that it has been a whole 12 months since we all parted ways and officially became alumni?

It is with great sadness that we must start this review on a mournful note. As most all of you are aware, Jan. 12, 2024, we lost our Brother Rat Hsiao Chin-En. As class agents, we knew that there would come a time when we would receive these unfortunate announcements, but truth be told, we didn’t think it would be so soon. Though the news was very sad and disheartening, those who were lucky enough to have known him personally recall his loyalty to his BRs and his country, his friendly spirit, his honor, and his great sense of humor. He will always be remembered and forever missed. Please continue to keep his family in your prayers, especially his younger brother, a member of our rats’ class, 2026.

–Seth “Spanky” McRoberts and Kelly “Possum Police” Rollison

Mizpah, Denny and Jake

Class of 2023: Kaylee Brennan with her new dog, Miggy.

Class of 2022: Justin Nase and Kaylee (Wedding) Nase with their firstborn child, Penelope LeeAnne Nase.

Class of 2021: Jared Boileau, Samantha Schwegel, Sullivan Webster, and Bryce Sanford attend the 183rd Cavalry Regiment Ball.

Baby Keydets

BLAZEVICH—A daughter, Julia James, to Leslie and Parker Blazevich ’14, Jan. 6, 2023.

BALSER—A son, Walker James, to Brian and Afton (Bricker) Balser ’14, June 12, 2023.

HOFMEISTER— A daughter, Lucile Bridget, to Kristina and Michael Hofmeister ’14, Aug. 9, 2023.

NOE—A daughter, Emilia Ann, to Ray and Mary (Schriver) Noe ’14, Dec. 9, 2023.

KITCHEN—A daughter, Parker Marie, to Alexandra and Daniel Kitchen ’14, Dec. 30, 2023.

VIGNALI —A son, Jack Henry, to Lindsey and Jonathan Vignali ’14, Jan. 4, 2024.

WELLS —A son, Braxton Shawn, to Amanda and Jesse Wells ’14, Jan. 26, 2024.

Marriages

HAMNER—Allison Bass to Ran Hamner ’62, June 30, 2023.

GRAHAM—Stephanie Kratzen to Thomas Graham ’01, Jan. 26, 2024.

FALCETTI—Kaitlin Harris to Alex Falcetti ’14, April 23, 2023.

ROGERS—Amber Joyner ’14 to Brooks Rogers, Sept. 30, 2023.

DUNCAN—Rachel Sing ’14 to Michael Duncan, Oct. 29, 2023.

Stay Connected with the VMI Alumni Mobile App!

To download the app, scan the QR code with your smartphone or tablet camera or visit vmialumni.org/mobileapp.

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.

Robert W. Smothers ’44

Malcom B. Lacy Jr. ’46

Selden S. McNeer Jr. ’46

Frank L. Seiboth ’51

Vernon A. Jackson ’46

Joseph E. Wilkinson ’46

Nathaniel S. Wilson ’46

Carl N. Cimino ’47

Marvin E. Witcher ’50

William G. Glass ’47

Dec. 2, 1922

July 27, 1924

Jan. 8, 1925

May 14, 1925

Sept. 21, 1925

Oct. 4, 1925

Nov. 20, 1925

Jan. 3, 1926

Jan. 3, 1926

Jan. 13, 1926

Provisional Appointments

2028

Brennen E. Adkins

2029

Devin D’Antonio

Luke H. Rickli

2031

Whitney J. Smith

James E. Reid III ’73

Glenn A. Trimmer ’77

Peter R. Lampman Jr. ’89

Paul A. D’Antonio ’82

Patrick J. D’Antonio ’16

Randolph S. Taylor ’70

Douglass A. Taylor ’67

Thomas R. Essig ’64

Bennett T. Smith ’21

Connor A. Smith ’23

2032

Brett A. Taylor

Julia Eaton

2033

Emmanuel Shu

James D. Morefield ’71

Rodney F. Shu ’70

Paul C. Shu ’40

Phil P. Shu ’65

Rodney F. Shu ’65

Paul C. Shu ’40

Phil P. Shu ’65

2034

Anderson Eaton

Rodney F. Shu ’65

Paul C. Shu ’40

Phil P. Shu ’65

Zachariah C. Smith

Thomas R. Essig ’64

Bennett T. Smith ’21

Connor A. Smith ’23

2035

Karston M. Smith

2037

Edward M. Rivinus

2039

William N.K. Incontro

2041

Aiden M.G. Incontro

Philippe I. Nemeth

Jason L. Smith ’99

Scott S. Miller ’71

Lewis N. Miller ’932

AnnieMarie (Ngotho) Incontro ’13

Robert P. Incontro ’13

AnnieMarie (Ngotho) Incontro ’13

Robert P. Incontro ’13

Madeleine M. Nemeth ’15

Grandfather

Step-uncle

Step-father

Uncle Cousin

Grandfather

Great-uncle Grandfather

Brother Brother

Grandfather

Grandfather

Greatgrandfather

Great-uncle Grandfather

Greatgrandfather

Great-uncle Grandfather

Greatgrandfather

Great-uncle Grandfather

Brother

Brother

Father

Grandfather

Greatgrandfather

Mother Father Mother Father Mother

2042

Jude D. Czaplicki

2043

Elizabeth M. Jackson

Hazel G. Mosley

Pierce E. Carter

Tripp Howard

2044

William P. Klick

2045

Ava J. Rice

David R. Overstreet

Andrew J. Czaplicki ’08

Nathaniel Beaman IV ’74

Nathaniel Beaman III ’46

Charles F. Evans ’94

Joshua J. Evans ’25

Bryce A. Carter ’09

Bruce L. Howard Jr. ’12

William B. Klick ’12

William E. Powell ’77

Sam P. Pace ’79

Sam P. Pace Jr. ’11

Franklin O. Overstreet ’13

William E. Crumpler ’53

Emmett R. Heltzel ’82

William S. Crumpler ’82

Robert P. Crumpler ’14

Elias W. Grazier

Ember N. Kari

George T. Smith IV

Henry W. Carter

Henry B. Crilley

Amanda G. Grazier ’17

Alexander K. Kari ’09

Wayland E. Parker ’74

Timothy A. Parker ’75

Christopher L. Parker ’77

Bryce A. Carter ’09

John M. Blankenship ’80

Frank B. Blankenship ’893

John M. Blankenship ’922

Robert B. Barnes Jr. ’54

John J. Kokenge

Thomas R. Peay

William P. Bishop

2046

Chandy Montgomery

Dean Howard

Grace M. Scaplehorn

Jacob W. Hazelwood

John L. Curl

Myles H. McBride

Wells G. Wiley

Kenneth A. Pierro ’81

Ryan N. Peay ’02

J.H. Binford Peay III ’62

James H.B. Peay IV ’98

J.H.B. Peay Jr. ’929

Michael Smith ’77

Anthony W. Montgomery ’02

Bruce L. Howard Jr. ’12

Michael K. Scaplehorn ’13

Steven E. Simonson ’83

John T. Curl II ’14

Zachary H. McBride ’19

Edward J. Wiley Jr. ’52

Father

Grandfather

Great-grandfather

Great-uncle

Cousin

Father

Father

Father

Grandfather

Uncle

Cousin

Father

Great-grandfather

Grandfather

Great-uncle

Cousin

Mother

Father

Grandfather

Great-uncle

Great-uncle

Father

Grandfather

Great-great-greatgrandfather

Great-great-greatuncle

Great-grandfather

Grandfather

Father

Grandfather

Uncle

Great-grandfather

Grandfather

Father

Father

Uncle

Grandfather

Father

Father

Great-grandfather

Gene D. Thornton ’46

Gene Douglas Thornton ’46 of Richardson, Texas, died Oct. 4, 2023. He was 97.

He matriculated from Chincoteague, Virginia, and spent one year at VMI.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Ellen Grace Webendorfor Thornton.

Patrick Bowditch ’47

Patrick “Pat” Bowditch ’47 of Essex, Connecticut, died Nov. 21, 2021. He was 96.

He matriculated from Governor’s Island, New York, and spent one year at VMI.

Thomas H. Birdsong III ’48B

Thomas Henry Birdsong III ’48B of Gorman, Texas, died Aug. 20, 2021. He was 94.

He matriculated from Suffolk, Virginia, and spent less than one year at VMI. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Randolph-Macon College.

He is survived by his wife, Jane M. Birdsong; children, Thomas H. Birdsong IV, Virginia Corinne Birdsong Winburn, and Warren L. Birdsong (Penny); grandchildren, Thomas Mills Winburn, Christianna Mills Johnson, and Japheth Saecker Jr.; great-grandchildren, Henry, Emaline, and George Johnson; step-daughter, Susan F. Smither; step-son, Richard H. Bradshaw; step-grandchildren, Gretchen M. Smither and Benjamin H. Smither (Melanie); and step-great-grandchild, Maxwell H. Smither.

He was preceded in death by his wives, Annette Jones Birdsong and Constance Bradshaw Birdsong.

Don R. Graffam ’48B

Don Richard “Dick” Graffam ’48B of St. Petersburg, Florida, died May 21, 2020. He was 93.

He matriculated from Huguenot Park, New York, and spent one year at VMI. He earned an Associate in Science degree from Harvard University.

He is survived by his wife, Irene; sons, Robert (Karen), William (Pat), Richard (Suzette), and Keith (Alex); 11 grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and step-daughter, Becky Tegze.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Nancy Rodriguez, and daughter, Linda.

George T. King III ’48B

George Thomas King III ’48B of Glen Allen,

Virginia, died Jan. 17, 2022. He was 94.

He matriculated from Richmond, Virginia, and spent one year at VMI. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Richmond.

He is survived by his partner, Eileen R. Allin; daughters, Carroll K. Schuller, Susan L. King, and Sarah K. Borda; grandsons, T. Wyatt King, Harrison B. King, C. Taylor Borda (Katya), Henry K. Borda (Alice), Paul H. Borda, and Matthew T. King; and three great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Frances R. King, and son, G. Thomas King IV.

Lionel T. Wolford Jr. ’48B

Lionel Thomas Wolford Jr. ’48B, Ph.D., of Monroe, Louisiana, died Jan. 6, 2024. He was 95.

He matriculated from Jeanerette, Louisiana, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from VMI. He earned a Master of Science degree from Northeastern Louisiana University, a Master of Science degree from Tulane University, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from Tulane University.

At the time of his death, he was serving as class agent for the Class of 1948B.

He is survived by his children, Marie Barat Wolford, Ann Marie Wolford, and Lionel Thomas “Tom” Wolford III.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Marion Ann Dolan Wolford, and brother, Charles Arthur Wolford.

David A. Ameen ’49B

David Adel Ameen ’49B, Ph.D., of Hopewell, Virginia, died Jan. 30, 2024. He was 96.

He matriculated from Hopewell and spent one year at VMI. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the U.S. Naval Academy and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Maryland.

He is survived by his wife, Clara Bury Ameen; sons, David Ameen (Betsy) and Richard Ameen; daughter, Cindy Welch; nine grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Diane Newbern Hunt (Andy); brothers, Saiad (Roma), Fred (Wauded), Jameil (Julia), and Lane (May); and sisters, Evelyn Billy (Michael), Idell Ingram (Sterling), and Josephine Brashear (Lynn).

Jennings B. Bunch Jr. ’50A

Jennings Bryan Bunch Jr. ’50A of Elverson, Pennsylvania, died Oct. 29, 2023. He was 94.

He matriculated from Richmond, Virginia, and was a distinguished graduate of VMI, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering. He earned a Master of Science degree from the University of Pittsburgh.

He is survived by his wife, Harriet; daughters, Jennifer Brophy (Jim) and Pamela McMullan (John); grandchildren, Megan Bollinger (Wes), Julie Welsh (Mike), Michael Brophy (Danielle), Scott McMullan, and Jenna McMullan-Freedman (Sutton); nine great-grandchildren; and step-children, Dr. Paul Walton, Rev. Charles

Walton, Elizabeth Walton, and Gordon Walton.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Dale.

Frederick C. Kniesler ’50B

Frederick Cornelius “Fred” Kniesler ’50B of Allentown, New Jersey, died Jan. 19, 2024. He was 93.

He matriculated from Cream Ridge, New Jersey, and spent one year at VMI. He earned an Associate of Arts degree, a Bachelor of Arts degree, and a Master of Arts degree, all from Rider University.

He is survived by his wife, Bernice “Bunny” Rottkamp; son, Gregory (Krista); daughter, Maria Flynn (Mike); grandchildren, Sarah, Martha, Patrick, Peter Kneisler ’13, Constance, Christian, Amelia, and Caroline; great-grandchildren, Rosalie, James, Matthew, Vivian, Eleanor, Leander, Lucile, and Matilda; and daughters-in-law, Rebecca Dorn and Kathryn Kniesler.

He was preceded in death by his sons, Frederick C. Kniesler Jr. and Christopher D. Kniesler.

John R. Nolley Jr. ’51

Retired U.S. Air Force Col. John Robert “Bob” Nolley Jr. ’51 of Richmond, Virginia, died Dec. 27, 2023. He was 94.

He matriculated from Richmond and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Jeanne Hoff Nolley; sons, John Robert Nolley III and Scott Webster Nolley; daughter, Catherine N. Triantis; grandchildren, John Robert Nolley IV, Sophia Marie Triantis, and William Stephen Triantis; and brother, William Tolar Nolley ’55.

Robert A. Cheatham ’53

Robert Angle “Bob” Cheatham ’53 of Charlotte, North Carolina, died Jan. 14, 2024. He was 92.

He matriculated from Roanoke, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI.

Taps

He is survived by his children, Cathy Senter (Lin), Karen Davis (Terry), and Ben Cheatham (Sallie); grandchildren, Jim Senter (Mary), Neil Senter (Brooke), Caitlin Davis, Will Davis, Bentley Cheatham (Kailey), and Madison Wielicki (Tony); and great-grandchildren, Mia Senter, Ava Senter, Stella Senter, Jay Senter, Mack Senter, Bebe Gail Cheatham, and Robert Bentley “Trace” Cheatham III.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Bebe.

John L. Gilbert ’53

Retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. John Leslie Gilbert ’53, Ph.D., of Rockbridge County, Virginia, died Jan. 7, 2024. He was 92.

He matriculated from Richmond, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He earned a Master of Science degree from the University of Virginia and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. He formerly taught mechanical engineering at VMI.

He is survived by his son, Gregory S. Gilbert (Frances); daughter, Cynthia G. Georgallis (Mark); and grandchildren, John D. Gilbert, Martha M. Georgallis, and Grace M. Gilbert.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Doris W. Gilbert, and brother, Lewis L. Gilbert.

Warren W. Koontz Jr. ’53

Warren Woodson Koontz Jr. ’53, M.D., of Henrico, Virginia, died Nov. 2, 2023. He was 91.

He matriculated from Lynchburg, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from VMI. He earned a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Virginia.

He is survived by his wife, Edwina Sykes Koontz; son, Dr. Warren Sykes Koontz; daughter, Mary Koontz Hayes (H. Robert); and grandchildren, Katherine Edwina Hayes (Jackson Bruce Prillaman) and William Coulbourn Hayes.

Robert J. Moore ’54

Retired U.S. Army Col. Robert J. “Bob” Moore ’54 of Dayton, Ohio, died Jan. 1, 2020. He was 87.

He matriculated from Cincinnati, Ohio, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI. He earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Dayton. He is survived by his wife, Sheila Borton Moore.

William M. Maddox Jr. ’55

William McWane “Bill” Maddox Jr. ’55 of Hidden Hills, California, died Sept. 5, 2023. He was 90.

He matriculated from Norfolk, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI.

He is survived by his partner, Nina Bowman Olander; daughters, Joan Shankin and Theresa Maddox; and grandchildren, Michael Maddox, Luke Shankin, and Quinn Shankin.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Alta Pauline Pamperin Maddox, and son, William McWane Maddox III.

Frank D. Newman Jr. ’55

Frank Douglas Newman Jr. ’55 of Elizabethton, Tennessee, died Jan. 21, 2024. He was 90.

He matriculated from Coral Gables, Florida, and spent one year at VMI. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Florida.

He is survived by his wife, Gail; daughter, Jan Waters (Wayne); sons, Scott Newman (Juli), Wayne Raborn (Sharon), Frank Newman (Haika), Clint Raborn, Lee Newman (Susan), and Jimmy Newman (Amy); grandchildren, Chris Newman, Schafer Newman, Ellie Newman Sinatra, Natalie Newman Lock, Kelsey Newman Thomason, Jenna Newman, Jonathan Newman, Jack Newman, Max Newman, Lola Newman, Justin Waters, David Waters, Alexa Raborn Holley, and John Michael Raborn; and great-grandchildren, Declan Newman, Sadie Newman, Ethan Waters, Nathan Waters, Hayes Holley, Harper Holley, and Layton Lock.

He was preceded in death by his sister, Betty Blaine.

Walter F. Donovan Jr. ’56

Walter Francis Donovan Jr. ’56 of Mechanicsville, Virginia, died Jan. 27, 2024. He was 89.

He matriculated from Richmond, Virginia, and spent more than two years at VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Charlotte Wheeler Donovan; daughter, Kathleen Donovan Hardee; grandchildren, Patrick Wheeler Donovan and Megan O’Neil Donovan; five great-grandchildren; sisters, Margaret O’Neil Donovan and Dr. Mary Ellen Donovan Huennekens; and brother-in-law, Hon. R. Kevin Huennekens.

He was preceded in death by his son, Michael Wheeler Donovan; brothers, William David Donovan and Richard Dennis Donovan; and sister, Patricia Donovan Burke.

William D. Gottwald Jr. ’56

William Douglas “Doug” Gottwald Jr. ’56 of Henrico, Virginia, died Nov. 9, 2023. He was 89.

He matriculated from Richmond, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Nelson Gottwald; children, William D. Gottwald III ’84 (Kathie) and John P. Gottwald ’90 (Angela); grandchildren, Virginia W. Stouffer (Bobby), George B. Williams III (June), Emma R. Williams, William D. Gottwald IV, Ryan B. Gottwald (Ava), John W. Gottwald, Lauren M. Gottwald, Meagen Hood (Brad), and Gregory A. Jones (Jessie); and great-grandchildren, Isabell Stouffer, Luca Stouffer, Maddalyn Stouffer, George Williams IV, Emerson Hood, Collin Hood, Luther Hood, Kepner Jones, and Laken Jones.

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Mary Gottwald Williams.

Randolph S. Knipp ’56

Randolph Spotswood “Spots” Knipp ’56 of Lewisburg, West Virginia, died Nov. 28, 2023. He was 90.

He matriculated from Lynchburg, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from VMI. He earned a Master of Science degree from Lamar University.

At the time of his death, he was serving as class agent for the Class of 1956.

He is survived by his son, Fred Charles “Chuck” Knipp.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Ina Jean McCabe Knipp, and his partner, Julie Gremmels Ford.

William G. Boice ’57

Hon. William Grant “Bill” Boice ’57 of Henrico, Virginia, died Dec. 5, 2023. He was 89.

He matriculated from Lynchburg, Virginia, and spent one year at VMI. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Randolph-Macon College and a law degree from the University of Richmond.

He is survived by his wife, Dale Buhrman Boice; children, William Grant Boice Jr., Margaret Belton (Mitch), Sarah “Sally” Wright (Rick), and Angela Axselle (Rally); grandchildren, Amanda Pode (Jason), Amber Serban (Alex), Ashley Boice, Grant Boice, Cailin Castle (Caleb), Kyle Belton, Erin Shel-

Taps by Vasquez (Fernando), Weston Wright, Rival Axselle, and Knox Axselle; great-grandchildren, Atticus Serban, Alden Serban, and Carson Castle; and step-grandchildren, Kelly Myers (Chip) and Rick Wright.

He was preceded in death by his sister, Charlotte Dresser, and his brother, Rev. Dr. James Hillyer Boice Jr.

Floyd L. Riddle Jr. ’57

Floyd Lacy “Pete” Riddle Jr. ’57 of Ponte Vedra, Florida, died Nov. 8, 2023. He was 88.

He matriculated from Richmond, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from VMI. He earned a Master of Science degree from Purdue University.

He is survived by his wife, Irene; son, Jeffrey F. Riddle ’85; daughter, Carolyn Pitcairn; 13 grandchildren; two step-children, Brian Anderson and Colleen Morris; and sister, Jackie Riddle Davidson.

James E. Snead ’57

James Evan “Jim” Snead ’57 of Riverview, Florida, died Jan. 12, 2024. He was 88.

He matriculated from Colonial Heights, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Janice H. Snead; grandchildren, Heather, Joshua (Melissa), Todd (Roxy), Autumn (Luke), Carolyn, Curtis, and Hannah; great-grandchildren, Ayla and Levi; sister, Anne Horstman; daughter-in-law, Sherri L. Snead; and son-in-law, Jeffery L. Castret.

He was preceded in death by his children, Pamela L. Castret and James H. Snead, and siblings, Celeste Chappell, Theda Ford, Gerald Snead, Vera McDonald, Curtis Snead, Jeanette Hazlett, and Joyce Aldridge.

Eugene V. Martin Jr. ’58

Retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Eugene Vernon “Gene” Martin Jr. ’58 of Virginia Beach, Virginia, died Jan. 1, 2024. He was 87.

He matriculated from Norfolk, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from VMI. He earned a Master of Science degree from Troy State University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Auburn University.

He is survived by his wife, Peggy Ann Martin; son, U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Michael E. Martin (Cynthia); daughter, Michelle Elizabeth Schmitz (Scott); grandchildren, Gabriella, Olivia, Martin, William, and Maxwell; and

brother, Ernest Lionel Martin ’59.

He was preceded in death by his sister, Marilyn.

Donald T. Walker ’58

Donald Thomas “Donny” Walker ’58 of Southport, North Carolina, died Dec. 4, 2023. He was 87.

He matriculated from Point Pleasant, New Jersey, and spent four years at VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara; children, Gary Walker (Diana), Wendi Gaul (Kevin), and Glen Walker (Annie); grandchildren, Heather Dettmann (Dylan), Lindsay Gagyi (Steven), Bea Walker, Alison Gaul, Kelli Gaul, Ellie Walker, and Harrison Walker; and great-grandchildren, Carter Gagyi, Jack Gagyi, Sophie Dettmann, and Owen Dettmann.

Philip A. Forbes ’59

Retired U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Philip Albert “Phil” Forbes ’59 of Purcellville, Virginia, died Jan. 23, 2024. He was 86.

He matriculated from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and spent less than one year at VMI. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Louisiana State University.

He is survived by his wife, Nan M. Joseph Forbes; children, Philip Forbes Jr., Michelle Paddock, Nan M. Forbes, and Robert R. Forbes; grandchildren, Jack Henry Paddock, Andrew Forbes, Charles Paddock, and Matthew Forbes; great-grandchildren, Emet Paddock and Levi Paddock; and former wife, Deanna Bergeron.

Lloyd M. Thacker ’59

Lloyd Milton Thacker ’59 of Williamsburg, Virginia, died Nov. 4, 2023. He was 87.

He matriculated from Staunton, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Richmond.

He is survived by his wife, Bette Thacker; son, Stephen L. Thacker ’86; daughter, Anne Hallett; granddaughter, Sami; grandson, Colin Butler ’23; and daughter-in-law, Debbie.

Thomas R. Beavers ’60

Thomas Richard “Tom” Beavers ’60 of The Plains, Virginia, died Dec. 8, 2023. He was 86.

He matriculated from The Plains and spent one year at VMI. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Lamar University.

He is survived by his daughters, Karen Lynn

Beavers, Tammy Rene Beavers, and Terri Robin Beavers.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Judith Peters Beavers, and his brother, George L. Beavers.

Louis A. Dunlap Jr. ’60

Louis Alexander “Alex” Dunlap Jr. ’60 of Ball Ground, Georgia, died Jan. 13, 2024. He was 84.

He matriculated from Pulaski, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI.

James A. Woodward ’60

James Adams “Jim” Woodward ’60 of Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, died Dec. 22, 2023. He was 86.

He matriculated from Suffolk, Virginia, and spent just over a year at VMI. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Science degree, both from North Carolina State University.

He is survived by his wife, Gaile “Sunny” Woodward; sons, Richard K. Woodward, Reid E. Woodward (Susan), John E. Woodward, and David T. Woodward; four grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; five step-grandchildren; sister, Mary Rawls Woodward Magee; and sisterand brother-in-law, Diane and Lynford Clark.

He was preceded in death by his sister, Sue Eggleston Woodward.

James V. Bickford III ’61

James Van Allen “Jim” Bickford III ’61 of Norfolk, Virginia, died Dec. 18, 2023. He was 84.

He matriculated from Norfolk and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He earned a Master of Regional Planning degree from the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill.

He is survived by his wife, Blair Bickford; children, James V. Bickford IV ’86, Christopher Bickford, Nathan Bickford, and David Bickford; grandson, Dylan; and half-brother, Willcox “Bill” Ruffin ’52.

He was preceded in death by his father, James V. Bickford Jr., Class of 1924, who died Sept. 15, 1961, and grandfather, James V. Bickford, Class of 1896, who died April 14, 1947.

H. Dunbar Hoskins Jr. ’61

Horace Dunbar Hoskins Jr. ’61, M.D., of Belvedere Tiburon, California, died Jan. 27, 2024. He was 84.

Taps

He matriculated from Lynchburg, Virginia, and spent three years at VMI. He earned a Doctor of Medicine degree from the Medical College of Virginia.

He is survived by his wife, Ann Reider Hoskins; children, Talbott Hoskins Roche (James), Eleanor Ruffin Hoskins, and Horace Chesley “Chad” Hoskins (Eliza N. Hoskins, M.D.); grandchildren, Caroline, Griffin, Haley, and Jackson; and brother, Charles Robert Hoskins.

William A. Redd ’61

William Anderson “Bill” Redd ’61 of Greenville, North Carolina, died Nov. 22, 2023. He was 83.

He matriculated from Roanoke, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Danya “Dani” Ann Burroughs Redd; daughters, Susan Redd Allen (Barry) and Karen Redd Phelps (Jerry); and grandchildren, Benjamin Redd Caddy (Naomi), Caroline Anderson Allen, William Spencer Allen, Jared Austin Phelps (Gracen), and Tanner Reid Phelps (Brooke).

He was preceded in death by his siblings, Rives Brown, Burton Redd, Mary Ernest, and Robert Redd.

William S. Young ’62

William Stuart Young ’62 of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, died March 10, 2023. He was 83.

He matriculated from Shaker Heights, Ohio, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Marion; sons, Dr. Christopher Young (Beth), Jeffrey Young (Randi), and Michael Young; grandchildren, Cyrus Young, Irene Young, Eric Young, Daniel Young, and Matthew Young; sister, Gretchen Thompson (Robert); and sister-in-law, Carolyn Paxson (Richard).

Carl P. Campbell ’63

Carl Patrick “Pat” Campbell ’63 of Danville, Virginia, died Jan. 2, 2024. He was 83.

He matriculated from Danville and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Annette Edwards Campbell; daughters, Melanie Coy and Mary Suelflow (David); son, John Campbell (Suzanne); grandchildren, Scott Coy, Aislinn Suelflow, and Zachary Suelflow; sister, Peggy Long; and brother, John Campbell (Laverne).

He was preceded in death by his brothers, Donald Lee Campbell Jr. and Max Campbell.

Robert G. Gregory Jr. ’63

Robert Gordon “Bob” Gregory Jr. ’63 of North Chesterfield, Virginia, died Jan. 31, 2024. He was 82.

He matriculated from Portsmouth, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Susan Vohs Gregory; sons, Gordon (Leesa), Eric (Allison), and Brad (Candace); grandchildren, August, Thomas, Isaac, James, Theo, and Miles; step-son, Chris Pappalardo (Amy); and sister, Diana (George).

Timothy J. Renaud ’63

Timothy Joseph “Tim” Renaud ’63 of Chicago, Illinois, died Nov. 1, 2023. He was 83.

He matriculated from Batavia, Illinois, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI.

James N. Atkins ’64

James Norborne “Jim” Atkins ’64 of North Chesterfield, Virginia, died Jan. 10, 2024. He was 82.

He matriculated from Richmond, Virginia, and spent two years at VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Kathryn Kirtley Atkins; grandsons, Jack Myers and Henry James Mast; son-in-law, Ralf Myers Mast; brothers-inlaw; and sisters-in-law.

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Sarah Atkins Mast.

John W. Bogle III ’64

John Williams Bogle III ’64 of Richardson, Texas, died in October 2023. He was 81.

He matriculated from Wytheville, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from VMI. He earned a Master of Electrical Engineering degree from North Carolina State University.

William F. Currin ’64

William Fleming “Flem” Currin ’64 of Virginia Beach, Virginia, died Nov. 19, 2023. He was 81.

He matriculated from Atlanta, Georgia, and spent two years at VMI.

He is survived by his step-sons, Jeff and Andy (Valerie); step-grandchildren, Michael, Melissa, Eric, and Erin; sister, Jackie (Tom); and former wife, Linda.

He was preceded in death by his former wife, Sally.

Tom Faulkner Jr. ’64

Tom Faulkner Jr. ’64 of Goodyear, Arizona, died Nov. 22, 2023. He was 81.

He matriculated from Glasgow, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He earned a Master of Civil Engineering degree from West Virginia University.

He is survived by his wife, Diane Sawyer Faulkner; children, Nathaniel Lee Faulkner ’86, Dawn, and Brent; grandchildren, Jack, Nate, Cabell, and Carrington; sons- and daughters-in-law, Jennifer Faulkner (Elias), Brian McNamara, and Joanne Faulkner (Berry); step-daughter, Krista Colonna; step-granddaughter, Maya Miller; and siblings, Donna “Dotsey” Paxton, Robert Faulkner, Edward Faulkner, Nena Woody, and Penni McMichael.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Carol Thompson Faulkner; sister, Elizabeth “Lilly” Hawkins; and father, Tom Faulkner ’41, who died Oct. 13, 2003.

Robert S. Nock ’64

Robert Stuart “Bobby” Nock ’64 of Chincoteague Island, Virginia, died Nov. 20, 2023. He was 81.

He matriculated from Chincoteague Island and spent one year at VMI.

He is survived by his sons, Wayne Nock, Johhny Nock, and Paul Nock; grandchildren, Ashley Thornes (Paul), Jordan Nock, Oliva Lazen (Zachariah), Adam Stuart Nock (Kristen), Robert Gabriel Nock (Skylar), and Josh Jones (Kaitlyn); and great-grandchildren, Scarlett Thornes, Neko Nock, Raelynn Nock, Willow Jones, and Mia Jones; and sister, Donna Young (George).

He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Etta Nock.

William I. Rodier III ’64

William Ignatius “Bill” Rodier III ’64, Ph.D., of Ashburn, Virginia, died Dec. 18, 2023. He was 81.

He matriculated from Yonkers, New York, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from VMI. He earned a Master of Arts degree from Hollins College and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Virginia.

He is survived by his wife, Karen Walborn, and siblings.

George J. Dattore Jr. ’65

George Joseph Dattore Jr. ’65 of Greenbackville, Virginia, died Oct. 12, 2023. He was 80.

He matriculated from Silver Spring, Maryland, and spent two years at VMI. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Maryland.

He is survived by his wife, Mary K. Dattore; daughter, Maria D. Dattore; and two grandchildren.

Eric M. Hart ’65

Eric Mann Hart ’65 of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, died Jan. 24, 2024. He was 80.

He matriculated from Richmond, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Adrienne; children, Brian (Jane), Sara, and Andrew; and six grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his siblings, Nan, Sally, and Frederick Charles “Fritz” Hart ’62, who died Aug. 24, 2022.

Philip R. Taylor ’65

Rev. Philip Randolph Taylor ’65 of Raleigh, North Carolina, died Oct. 26, 2023. He was 80.

He matriculated from Richmond, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Susan; sons, Stephen Taylor (Lovie), Jason Taylor (Allison), and Marshall Taylor; and grandchildren, Mary Love Mateas (Catalin), Anne Elliot, Edward, and Eliza.

Hugh J.M. Jones III ’66

Hugh John Morris Jones III ’66 of Lynchburg, Virginia, died Jan. 21, 2024. He was 79.

He matriculated from Montpelier, Vermont, and earned a Bachelor of Arts in history from VMI. He earned a Master of Laws degree from Washington and Lee University.

He is survived by his wife, Betsy Saunders Jones; daughters, Brandom J. Price (Mitch) and Caroline J. Pheeney (Douglas); grandchildren, Keeler Pheeney, Tyler Pheeney, Catherine Pheeney, and Logan Price; and siblings, Richard Jones, Jay Jones, and Marcy Jones.

Frank L. Kuchuris ’67

Frank Louis Kuchuris ’67 of Chicago, Illinois, died Dec. 8, 2023. He was 78.

He matriculated from Chicago and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI.

He is survived by his children, Lisa Kuchuris, Mark Kuchuris, Louise Locke (Jared), and Ellen Bell (Leo); grandchildren, Kyle, Christopher, Frankie, Madison, John, Jack, and Emily; and sister, Marietta Kuchuris.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Patricia C. Kuchuris.

James L. Rutherford ’67

James Larry Rutherford ’67 of Coral Gables, Florida, died Nov. 16, 2023. He was 77.

He matriculated from Norfolk, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Virginia.

He is survived by his wife, Shelley Daniel Rutherford; son, Thad Rutherford (Melissa); grandsons, Coleman Rutherford and Quinn Rutherford; step-sons, Beck Daniel (Stephanie) and Trevor Daniel (Meagan); and brother-in-law, Eddie Cravedi.

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Alison Rutherford, and sister, Markie Cravedi.

Arnold W. Ellis III ’68

Arnold Wright Ellis III ’68 of Richmond, Virginia, died Jan. 20, 2024. He was 77.

He matriculated from Richmond and spent three years at VMI. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Virginia Commonwealth University.

He is survived by his wife, Penny Sedgley; daughter, Stephanie Ellis Churchman (Rob); grandchildren, Catherine “Kit” Churchman, Hunter Churchman, Emma Churchman, Aubrey Thomas, and Ainsley Thomas; and son-in-law, Wade Thomas.

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Andrea Ellis Thomas.

H. Lee Barnes Jr. ’69

Hassell Lee Barnes Jr. ’69 of Virginia Beach, Virginia, died Jan. 29, 2024. He was 76.

He matriculated from Norfolk, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from VMI. He earned a Master of Science degree from Old Dominion University.

He is survived by his wife, Denise Barnes; children, Brittney Boyce (Mark), Macie Barnes, and Bryce Barnes (Mary); grandchildren, Blake Boyce, Luke Boyce, and Laney Lee Barnes; and brother, Michael Barnes.

Thomas E. Hickman ’69

Retired U.S. Air Force Col. Thomas Edward

“Tom” Hickman ’69 of Taneytown, Maryland, died Jan. 27, 2024. He was 77.

He matriculated from Baltimore, Maryland, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Baltimore.

He is survived by his daughter, Jessica L. Lucking (Grant); brother-in-law, Douglas J. Wahl; and sister-in-law, Cheryl L. Wahl.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Susan M. Hickman.

Frank P. Huger ’69

Francis Parker “Frank” Huger ’69, Ph.D., of Crozet, Virginia, died Nov. 8, 2023. He was 76.

He matriculated from Lexington, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from VMI. He earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the Medical College of Virginia.

He is survived by his wife, Georgia Huger; sister, Tucker McQueen (Don); and sisters-inlaw and brothers-in-law, Mary Ann and Chip Buxton and Alice and Angus Murdoch.

He was preceded in death by his father, Benjamin Huger Jr., Class of 1934, who died Sept. 19, 1988; grandfather, Benjamin Huger, Class of 1893, who died Nov. 24, 1962; and great-grandfather, Scott Shipp, Class of 1859, who died Dec. 4, 1917.

William B. Bott ’70

William Briddell “Bill” Bott ’70 of Jamesville, Virginia, died Nov. 19, 2023. He was 75.

He matriculated from Wilmington, Delaware, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He earned a Master of Engineering degree from the University of Virginia.

He is survived by his wife, Brigitte; sons, Charles B. Bott ’96 (Caroline) and Wescott Bott ’99 (Anne Marie); grandsons, Owen, Connor, Reed, and Carter; brother, Jim Bott (Nancy); and sister-in-law, Claudette Hyman (Huddy).

He was preceded in death by his father, James Arthur “Art” Bott, Class of 1936, who died Oct. 6, 2008.

Ronald R. Eagle ’70

Ronald Rutson “Ron” Eagle ’70 of Quinton, Virginia, died Nov. 23, 2023. He was 76.

He matriculated from Aylett, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in

Taps

English from VMI. He earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Virginia Commonwealth University.

He is survived by his wife, Marty; children, Tyler (Alan) and Rutsen (Tyler); grandchildren, Stuart, Layla, and Kelly Grace; and brother, Henry “Chick” Eagle (Shelby).

Ralph B. Groome ’71

Retired U.S. Navy Cmdr. Ralph Bernard “Bernie” Groome ’71 of Summerfield, Florida, died Nov. 13, 2023. He was 74.

He matriculated from Matoaca, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in physics from VMI. He earned a Master of Science degree from the University of Virginia and a Juris Doctor degree from Augusta Law School.

He is survived by his wife, Wanda Groome; daughter, Gina Groome; grandson, Jax Wells; and brother, Larry Groome ’75.

Robert M. Ball ’73

Robert Michael “Bob” Ball ’73, D.D.S., of Saint Clairsville, Ohio, died Nov. 28, 2023. He was 72.

He matriculated from Shadyside, Ohio, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from VMI. He earned a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the Medical College of Virginia.

He is survived by his daughter, Katie; son, Rob; and siblings, Bill, Linda, Pat, Andy, and Tom.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Linda, and siblings, Suzanne and Kenneth.

Richard D. Hillard ’74

Richard Douglas “Rich” Hillard ’74 of Powhatan, Virginia, died Nov. 28, 2023. He was 72.

He matriculated from Norfolk, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and business from VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Frances Louise Hillard, and his brother, Michael W. Hillard.

Hugh M. Marshall Jr. ’74

Hugh Milton Marshall Jr. ’74 of King George, Virginia, died Sept. 16, 2023. He was 71.

He matriculated from King George and spent two years at VMI.

He is survived by his step-daughter, Michelle “Shelly” Mastin (Eddie Joe), and sisters, Lillian Rucker (Roger), Anna McDonald (Paul), and Becky Melvin (John).

He was preceded in death by his wife, Debby

Marshall; sister, Linda M. Freeman; and brother, Michael J. Marshall.

Michael M. Woodward ’75

Michael McHenry Woodward ’75 of Fredericksburg, Virginia, died Nov. 14, 2023. He was 70.

He matriculated from Spotsylvania, Virginia, and spent four years at VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Karen, and sons, David Michael and Chris.

James M. Foster Jr. ’77

James Monroe “Jimmy” Foster Jr. ’77 of Christiansburg, Virginia, died Dec. 7, 2023. He was 69.

He matriculated from Portsmouth, Virginia, and spent two years at VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Linda Foster; sisters, Carol Darden and Brenda Brinkley (Ronnie); and brother, Milton Foster.

Randall W. Hartley ’77

Retired U.S. Air Force Col. Randall Wynn “Randy” Hartley ’77 of Valrico, Florida, died Dec. 29, 2023. He was 68.

He matriculated from Front Royal, Virginia, and was a distinguished graduate of VMI, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in history. He earned a Master of Science degree from the University of Northern Colorado and was a graduate of the Air Command & Staff College and the Air War College.

He is survived by his wife, Debra Sue Patterson Hartley; daughters, Allyson Dawn Hartley Calandro (Matthew) and Carrie Elizabeth Hartley Love (Travis); son, Kyle Andrew Hartley; grandchildren, Madison Renee Puffinberger, Alayna Janiel Love, Jackson Aaron Calandro, and Scarlett Ray Calandro; and brother, Bradford Wayne Hartley.

He was preceded in death by his grandson, Lucas Ryan Love.

Andre J. Gibson ’78

Andre Jose Gibson ’78 of Rancho Cucamonga, California, died Nov. 16, 2023. He was 67.

He matriculated from Easton, Maryland, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and business from VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Loretta; daughters, Meredith and Paige; sister, Floleeshur; brothers, Claude and Vincent; and sister-in-law, Cynthia Lawrence.

Charles Alvarez ’80

Charles Alvarez ’80 of Leland, North Carolina,

died June 15, 2023. He was 65.

He matriculated from San Germán, Puerto Rico, and spent less than one year at VMI. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico.

He is survived by his wife, Belinda Alvarez; daughters; and brother, Pedro “Pete” Alvarez ’79.

Robert W. Muncy Jr. ’79

Robert Wayne “Chip” Muncy Jr. ’79 of Sandston, Virginia, died Jan. 6, 2024. He was 66.

He matriculated from Sandston and spent two years at VMI.

He is survived by his children, Matthew (Abby), Joseph, and Amy; grandson, Gabriel; sister, Renee Angle (Fletcher); and brother, James (Beatrice).

Leeland R. Ashcraft ’80

Leeland Robert Ashcraft ’80 of Bend, Oregon, died Nov. 4, 2023. He was 65.

He matriculated from Manassas, Virginia, and spent over a year at VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Jane Ashcraft; son, Jerred (Correy); daughter, Leslie (John Riley); grandchildren, Moriah, Rachel, Joslin, Randi, John, James, Matthew, Claire, and Peyton; sisters, Darla Ashcraft, Lisa West, Laura Diane, Jean Dyer, and Mary Starnes (Craig); and brothers, Randy Selby (Tanya), Rick Selby (Sharon), Dwight Selby (Kim), Cory Ryder, and Rick Buening.

Duane A. Padrick ’83

Retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Duane Alin Padrick ’83 of Newport News, Virginia, died Jan. 25, 2024. He was 62.

He matriculated from Newport News and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He earned a Master of Arts degree from Webster University.

He is survived by his wife, Anne; daughter, Madison Alynn Justice (Cory); and granddaughter, Henley Justice.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Sandy.

James T. Scott ’86

James Thomas Scott ’86 of Newport News, Virginia, died Dec. 27, 2023. He was 60.

He matriculated from Newport News and spent less than one year at VMI.

He is survived by his brother, Eric L. Scott.

Patrick P. Bolton ’95

Patrick Paul Bolton ’95 of Vorheesville, New

York, died Dec. 24, 2023. He was 53.

He matriculated from Queensbury, New York, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Suzy Muggeo; children, Sofia Muggeo Bolton and Maximus Muggeo Bolton; mother, Carol Savoie Lindblade (Jim); siblings, Joe Bolton (Mary), Peter Bolton (Jacquie), and Charlene Lanier; parentsin-law, Carole and Richard Muggeo; and sisters, Jennifer (Jason) and Tara (Scott).

Chin-En Hsiao ’23

Chin-En Hsiao ’23 of Taiwan, Republic of China, died Jan. 12, 2024. He was 23.

He matriculated from Taiwan and was a distinguished graduate of VMI, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and business.

He is survived by his brother, Cadet ChinJen Hsaio ’26.

VMI Family

J. Lloyd Blackwell III

Josire Lloyd Blackwell III, Ph.D., of Columbia, North Dakota, died Jan. 13, 2024. He was 84.

He formerly taught economics at VMI and also coached the rifle team.

He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree and Doctor of Philosophy degree from Georgia State University.

He is survived by his wife, Trish Blackwell; daughters, Alice and Laura Blackwell; two grandchildren; brother, James Philip “Phil” Blackwell; half-brother, William Elder “Bill” Brazelton; and sons-in-law.

Wallace V. Edenfield Jr.

Wallace Vernon Edenfield Jr. of Scottsville, Virginia, died May 12, 2023. He was 71.

He formerly worked as a researcher at VMI.

He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia.

He is survived by his sister, Meralyn Edenfield Smith, and brother, Brian Edenfield (Sharon).

Thomas C. Lominac

Thomas Charles “Tom” Lominac, Ph.D., of Buena Vista, Virginia, died Dec. 21, 2023. He was 79.

He formerly taught mathematics at VMI.

He earned a bachelor’s degree and a Doctor of Philosophy degree, both from the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill.

He is survived by his children, Thomas “Eric” Lominac (Aimee) and Susan “Sunny” Ratcliffe (Neil); grandchildren, Bradley, Ericka, Dalton, Julie, Sara, Luke, and Emilie; great-grandchildren, Caroline and Delaney; and sisters, Jane Jensen and Ruth Willis (Michael).

He was preceded in death by his wife, Margie Alice Lominac; son, Marc Eliot Pedneau; and brother-in-law, Richard Jensen.

Patricia W. McFerren

Patricia Wheeler “Patsy” McFerren of Buena Vista, Virginia, died Jan. 22, 2024. She was 81.

She formerly worked as an administrative assistant in the Department of Psychology at VMI.

She is survived by her husband, John McFerren; son, Michael (Cindy); daughter, Sherrie (Al); grandchildren, Brandon and Natasha McFerren; and step-son, Scott (Cindy).

She was preceded in death by her husband, Bernie Wheeler, and brother, Bobby Beard.

Kanaiyalal R. Shah

Kanaiyalal Ramanlal “Kanu” Shah, Ph.D., of Gaithersburg, Maryland, died Dec. 6, 2023. He was 84.

He formerly taught electrical engineering at VMI.

He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Baroda, a master’s degree from Gujarat University, a master’s degree from the University of Missouri–Rolla, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Missouri–Columbia.

He is survived by his wife, Dakshaben Jayantilal “Daksha” Shah; children, Udayan, Shreedhar (Sonal), and Rahul (Banu); grandchildren, Henry, Silas, Nishrin, Devani, Sanjay, and Amir; brother, Govindlah; sister, Thanalakshmi; and Jessica Riviere, mother of Henry and Silas.

Donald L. Wolfswinkel

Retired U.S. Air Force Col. Donald L. Wolfswinkel of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, died Dec. 18, 2023. He was 86.

He formerly taught aerospace studies at VMI.

He earned a bachelor’s degree from the U.S. Air Force Academy and a master’s degree from Central Michigan University.

He is survived by his wife, Ronnie; daughter, Wendy (Terry); sons, Richard (Kim) and Chris (Iyun); grandchildren, Calvin, Loren, Alex, Lucas, and Nick; sister (Jan Ver Steeg); brother-in-law, Clif Friend (Judy); and sisterin-law, Robin Friend (Michael Nobile).

He was preceded in death by his son, Craig; granddaughter, Charlotte; and siblings.

After Taps

Hugh M. Marshall Jr. ’74

By Rabbi Mark H. Levine ’74

“Sound off, rat!”

“Marshall, H.M.—King George, Virginia, sir.”

Despite the fact that his chin was tucked in as tightly as humanly possible, and his shoulders were pulled back so far that the blades nearly touched, Hugh’s distinctive, friendly, Southern drawl disarmed any upperclassman who tried to intimidate the young rat from King George. And, believe me, many of them tried. Hugh became a magnet for attention during cadre—and throughout our rat year. He racked up demerits and penalty tours like they were burr weeds that stuck easily to his socks as he

strolled through a meadow. But Hugh smiled through most of it, and he danced and sang his way through some of it ... regaling Don Sharpe ’74 (may he rest in peace) and me with Hank Williams tunes that poured effortlessly from his heart and lightened the rat blues in Room 471.

Those who underestimated his easygoing attitude and took it for laziness were usually surprised by his quick and capable mind. Hugh was an exceptional student of history, and I marveled at his grasp of dates and facts in military history. I enjoyed learning from

him. As often happens at VMI, though, one’s 3rd Class year can be even harder than the struggle in the Rat Line. That was Hugh’s experience. Fifty-one years later, I can’t remember the specifics, but I do remember the sadness I felt when I learned that Hugh would not return for our 2nd Class year. His absence made the last two years at VMI less enjoyable. His passing now makes the world less charitable and humane. We mourn the passing of our Brother Rat Hugh Milton Marshall Jr. ’74, who died Sept. 16, 2023. May his memory be a blessing to all who loved him.

Robert Wayne Newman ’74

By Bob Smith ’74

Robert Wayne Newman ’74 passed peacefully in Richmond, Virginia, surrounded by his loving family as he entered heaven June 25, 2023. As was his nature, Wayne fought several health challenges to the bitter end before they got the better of him.

Robert Wayne Newman was known by a number of aliases, but to me, he was Newman before Newman became a thing. Newman was born Aug. 26, 1952, in Newport News, Virginia, but grew up in Richmond, Virginia. To this day, I’m still learning about the difficult life he endured growing up. But through it all, it shaped him into the person many people who met him came to respect and admire for the kind, sincere, and honest person he was.

Those who matriculate at VMI do so for a variety of reasons. Newman’s reason, I believe, was the stability the VMI environment would provide him. Thanks to a VMI alumnus and his future father-in-law, Newman matriculated with the Class of 1974 Aug. 20, 1970, from Richmond. He was a private in Company E for his entire cadetship, and that was just fine with him. To help pay his tuition, he was a cadet waiter for four years and an advanced Air Force ROTC cadet his last two years.

Newman was a member of the VMI track

and field team, and when he and I weren’t running together, he would be working on his javelin-throwing prowess. There was plenty of “ice” and “red hot” in our room. Newman’s greatest traits were his empathy for other people and willingness to speak up or do what was right.

Newman even took sympathy on rats because, in his heart of hearts, he couldn’t bring himself to strain a rat. He had the uncanny ability to turn an ordinary circumstance into a laugh a minute. Newman graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and a commission into the United States Air Force. After having a “distinguished” stay at VMI (which he loved and revered), Wayne joined the Air Force and, as described in several medal and award citations, had an exemplary 30-year career serving the United States of America.

Wayne received the Defense Superior Service Medal while serving as a director of manpower, personnel, and administration, Headquarters, United States Pacific Command. He revamped and strengthened the Pacific Command’s Quality of Life Campaign Plan to support CINCPAC’s charter that “Quality of Life is a Readiness Issue.”

He made it possible for the command to

obtain nearly $5 million in imminent danger pay for military members in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia; $12.4 million in hardship duty pay-location for several locations; and an additional $30 million for basic allowance for housing increases for military members stationed in Hawaii. He personally met with Hawaii government officials and developed the strategic plan to make the biggest impact possible through the expenditure of $15 million in special DoD funds targeted for the improvement of Hawaii’s public schools.

Wayne was awarded the Legion of Merit while serving as commander of the 9th Support Group, 9th Reconnaissance Wing, Beale Air Force Base, California. This was a first-of-its-kind assignment for a non-rated (not a pilot) officer to hold a support group commander position of an active duty flying wing. His personal efforts had a direct impact on the unparalleled successes of the 1997 Headquarters Air Combat Command Operational Readiness Inspection and the 1998 Unit Compliance Inspection. He excelled as the on-scene commander for both a major aircraft accident and the largest flood in Northern California history. It was also noted that his insistence on “continuous readiness” was key to the organization’s success during major

support group deployments to Egypt and the Joint Readiness Training Center.

Wayne also received the award of the Legion of Merit (First Oak Leaf Cluster) as director, secretary of the Air Force Personnel Council, Air Force Review Boards Agency, Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland. He was described as providing rock-solid judgment, resulting in major contributions to the agency’s decision process and thereby ensuring fairness, justice, and due process for past and present Air Force members.

He worked closely with key staff within the secretariat and the Air Staff to provide essential oversight of the Air Force Military Awards and Decorations Program and devised and implanted key improvements, which will continue to pay huge dividends across the total force for many years to come. Wayne’s authentic work ethic was a key element in assisting the secretary of the Air Force Personnel Council in earning its most excellent professional reputation in years.

C.L. Shaffer III ’76

By Jim Dittrich ’76

I never met anyone who compared to my friend and former roommate, Chester Lewis Shaffer III ’76, who we called C.L. C.L. was from Norfolk, Virginia. He had movie star looks and had muscles like the then-world champion Mr. Universe, Arnold Schwarzenegger. We noticed that C.L. was different, as he had no fear of the upperclassmen who dropped him for pushups and never wore him out. He often smiled at them, earning more attention than the rest of us. C.L. was an English major who was well-spoken. Good grades came easily to him.

C.L. spent his free time wrestling or weightlifting. One of his fellow wrestlers reminded me that C.L. kept a 100-pound barbell hidden in the gym to work out with. He had permanently injured one of his arms and could only lift one-handed. One hundred pounds with one arm was easy for C.L. C.L. was frequently invited to Rat Disciplinary Committee meetings. A half-hour private workout ensued at the RDC, always after taps. C.L. saw these as great workouts to add to his daily wrestling practice.

Living with C.L. was an experience. He had his own room rules, which made sense until I violated one of the rules, likely because I cursed. As punishment, he started to “wrestle” with me. I held out for about two minutes before I was totally exhausted. Then C.L., by himself, used our sturdy bed straps to tie my feet and hands together before he tossed a bed strap through the open transom and hung me upside down as my punishment. I would occupy this position multiple times. After about 15 minutes, I was in agony, and he released me.

I didn’t cuss around him again. A surprising number of my brother rats recall receiving the same punishment.

In our day, there was a rotating guard team of cadets, and one of the duties was to tap every room door a couple of times a day with a coat hanger to ensure cadets were in their proper place. There were those guard cadets who smacked the door hard, which made us jump. If that happened around C.L., he forgot the Rat Line and ran out the door to wrestle down the offender, squeezing him until he begged for mercy. That person hit doors softly after that, but there was always a new guard team member who banged hard on the door, only to receive punishment from C.L.

A wrestling team friend, Dan Barr ’74, told me the story of when the team was traveling, they stopped at a shopping mall. There was a music store, and C.L. went in and played an assortment of modern tunes, some very lively, on the piano. No one knew he could play and never expected he could play at a near-professional level. The store manager wasn’t pleased with him just sitting down and playing and threatened to call the mall cops, but a nice elderly lady told him to “let him play.” C.L. liked to surprise people.

After the Rat Line, our class voted on a class president, and C.L. was elected. This was a huge honor, and he gave a great speech leading up to his election. We saw less of each other after that, as class duties, wrestling, and studies kept him very busy. I went on to room elsewhere, but we visited when we could. Sometime during our 2nd Class year, C.L.

From a difficult early life situation to VMI private to U.S. Air Force colonel, he has an exemplary and distinguished legacy.

He is survived by his daughter, Julie “Jules” Etter; son-in-law, Michael Etter; grandchildren, Caroline, Maggie, and Landon Etter; brother, Michael Newman; former wife, Sheryl Christman; and mother-in-law, Jean “Mom” Powell.

You will be missed ... by friends, by family, by me. Rest in peace, brother!

drove up to barracks in his Buick with his girlfriend. Only 1st Class cadets could have cars. C.L. decided to add a red police light flashing on the roof of his car, and then he drove into Old Barracks. The cadets inside cheered loudly, and the cadet guard team was flustered at first. C.L. drove a couple of times around the courtyard. We saw the guards close the cast-iron gates on the two open arch entries. C.L. revved the car up until the engine roared and drove toward Washington Arch. He crashed through the iron gates, throwing them off their hinges. Some cadets dove out of the way.

C.L. was honor-bound to report himself when he was not in an “all right place” during taps that night. That put him over in demerits, and he was suspended for a semester but would never return. Sadly, I lost touch with my friend.

It wasn’t until recently that, as our 50th Reunion approached, I hoped to contact C.L. and have him return with our class. I learned he passed away back in 2015. No one is sadder than me to hear my friend is gone.

I learned that he left behind a family with nine children. He settled in Missoula, Montana, where he ran a successful business as a master electrician. I am in contact with a few of his adult children, who have enjoyed the VMI stories about their dad. C.L. was amazingly firm in his convictions as a young man. Traits including honor, fitness, and faith were his guiding lights. He always read his Bible. I carry his memory always, as do his brother rats, teammates, and friends.

After Taps

Randy W. Hartley ’77

By Steve Kelly ’77

Our brother rat and friend, Randy Hartley ’77, passed away Dec. 29, 2023, after a lengthy battle with cancer. Randy came to VMI from Front Royal, Virginia. While at VMI, Randy was an academically distinguished cadet, a member of the Arnold Air Society, a cadet librarian, and was chosen as an Outstanding AFROTC Cadet. Following graduation, Randy commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force and served as a nuclear and missile operations officer. He returned to VMI for AFROTC duty where he and his wife, Sue, had two daughters, Allyson and Carrie. Randy and Sue later had a son, Kyle. During his tour at VMI, Randy served with two brother rats on the commandant’s staff—Steve Neas ’77 and Steve Kelly ’77. Randy received a Master of Science degree from the University of Northern Colorado.

Following his VMI tours, Randy was accepted into the Medical Service Corps of the Air Force, where he deployed for Operations Desert Shield/ Desert Storm and later Operation Enduring Freedom. Randy was instrumental in redesigning medical evacuation aircraft and upgrading critical care equipment and the specialty medical professionals required to take care of critically injured service personnel. These changes, driven by Randy, saved countless lives as critical care

specialists were now available during medevac flights to Germany and the United States.

Randy had a long and prosperous career with the Air Force and retired as a colonel in April 2005. For a time, he and his family just enjoyed life with family, especially grandchildren. Randy was not quite ready for full retirement and felt the tug for helping others, which drew the family to Jacksonville, Florida. Here he would work at St. Vincent’s Hospital and St. Luke’s Hospital until 2011. In 2011, Randy was contacted by Nemours Children’s Hospital to help with the building and opening of a brand-new children’s hospital in Lake Nona, Florida (Orlando area). Randy found great joy and fulfillment in serving the Nemours mission with his associates to reimagine children’s health care beyond medicine. He retired from Nemours Children’s Hospital at the end of June 2021.

Randy was described by his daughter, Allyson, as a brave veteran, funny, passionate, and dedicated. He liked to play the air guitar and drums and knew almost every old rock and roll song by heart. His daughter, Carrie, said that her dad was a true hero. A physician coworker also spoke very highly of Randy, stating that he would be remembered for his kindness, vision, leadership, ingenuity, and humbleness. Those who knew Randy described

him as a great husband, father, “Paw Paw,” and friend to others who enjoyed life with Sue in spite of his cancer. During the time Randy was battling cancer, he still was able to say, “I am a blessed man.” The senior pastor at Randy’s celebration of life service talked about Randy’s love of life, his family, and his enduring faith.

Several brother rats from the Class of ’77 had the privilege of attending Randy’s celebration of life service Jan. 17, 2024, at St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church of Brandon, Florida. Mark Abernathy ’77, Joe Santelli ’77, Tim Liles ’77, Kimber Latsha ’77, and Ed Anderson ’77 were able to represent the Class of ’77. Tim spoke about Randy’s time at VMI and his love for life even as he battled cancer. His wife, kids, and grandkids meant the world to Randy. Later on, at the reception following the service, Kimber led the brother rats in a ’77 Old Yell in Randy’s honor. Our brother rats wrote many kind things about Randy on the Class of ’77 Facebook page. One comment ties together how we want to remember our friend and brother rat: “No one is ever gone while they are remembered, and we will not forget Randy.” We can only hope we live our lives emulating Randy’s. Rest in peace, brother rat, knowing that you will be greatly missed by all those whose lives you blessed.

Retired U.S. Army Master Sgt. Pedro Alvarez

By Pedro “Pete” Alvarez ’79

Retired U.S. Army Master Sgt. Pedro Alvarez, 92, a former ROTC instructor at VMI, faded away Nov. 8, 2023. He served a 27-year Army career, during which he deployed to three global hotspots—Korea, South Vietnam, and the former West Germany.

In 1948, he enlisted in the Puerto Rico Army National Guard in what he called the “brownboot” Army and was assigned to the 65th Infantry Regiment, which had become legendary during the Korean War for two major actions. The unit executed the last multi-battalion bayonet charge in U.S. Army history and covered

the withdrawal of U.S. Marines from the Chosin Reservoir. The war ended in 1953 with an armistice, but U.S. forces remained to defend South Korea against another attack from the north. Alvarez and his unit were activated in 1956 and deployed on a one-year tour as part of the U.S. commitment.

Between 1961–64, he was assigned to the 2nd Armored Rifle Battalion (Dragoons) of the 3rd Armored Division in the former West Germany. His excellent leadership skills earned him a slot in the Division’s NCO Academy course, which he completed in 1962 as the Distinguished

Graduate, receiving the coveted General Maurice Rose Award and a riding crop from Maj. Gen. Creighton Abrams, then division commander. He mastered two skills crucial for an infantry NCO—warfighting expertise and developing soldiers and subordinate leaders. Returning to his battalion, Alvarez demonstrated his skills by leading his soldiers in successfully responding to frequent alerts designed to assess their capacity for quick mobilization. In fact, his unit mobilized quickly and professionally after President Kennedy’s assassination and when construction began on the Berlin Wall. These

After Taps

events were noteworthy because his unit was issued live ammunition and deployed to the East German border to thwart a potential Soviet invasion of Western Europe. In such a situation, his unit was to fight delaying actions to allow time for American dependents to evacuate. For his decisive leadership, one of his unit’s operating routes bore his name—Route Pedro.

Between 1966–67, Alvarez served a one-year tour in Vung Tau, South Vietnam, with the 73rd Aviation Company (aerial surveillance), a reconnaissance unit flying the OV-1 Mohawk aircraft. As company first sergeant, he was responsible for its operations and training. While most of the pilots were officers or warrants, the 73rd’s commanding officer wanted to maintain tight discipline, so he advised Alvarez to treat all personnel as if they were infantry soldiers. He regularly flew reconnaissance missions as an observer, noting concentrations of enemy forces for later analysis. During one such mission, his aircraft was downed by an enemy bullet that cut his aircraft’s hydraulic line. The pilot conducted a forced landing near Can Tho, South Vietnam, where a Special Forces unit was engaged with Viet Cong fighters. A Green Beret covered the Mohawk while it underwent repairs and told Alvarez to launch as quickly as possible, but not before handing off a VC flag that had once marked the area. Alvarez retained the war souvenir for the rest of his life.

His 19 years of experience with front-line infantry units, in addition to serving as a drill instructor after his stint in Korea, prepared Alvarez exceptionally well to begin a three-year tour at VMI in 1967. He served as the principal infantry instructor and senior NCO for Army and Air Force ROTC. In all his classroom instructions,

as well as in field exercises with cadets, Alvarez frequently shared his real-world experiences with cadets from the Classes of 1968, 1969, and 1970, who would soon commission and likely deploy to Southeast Asia as new second lieutenants during the height of U.S. combat actions there.

Thanks to Tom Hickey ’68, Walt Judd ’69, and Steve Talley ’70, class agents, for collecting memories from brother rats who recalled Alvarez. Below are some of their memories: Warren Wagner ’70 was a member of the Ranger Platoon and expected to go to Army Ranger training before Vietnam. He recalled the veteran ROTC instructors were focused on “pouring into us, challenging us, working us, and inspiring us.” Alvarez was a “great man and fellow soldier,” and “he was one who made me who I am today in many ways.” Alvarez treasured the 1967 certificate from platoon leadership, making him an honorary member.

John Augustine ’68 recalled how Alvarez enabled his transition from Air Force to Army ROTC. Alvarez suggested John consider volunteering for a third year of commission obligation so he could select his assignment. John agreed, commissioned as an armor branch officer, and selected West Germany. During his Officer Basic Course, John learned the Army had decided that officers who opted for a third year could remain in their current assignment to complete their obligation. John remains grateful for the sage counsel from Alvarez, recalling him as “an experienced old pro” and “among some of the more stabilizing influences needed at the time.”

Jonathan Vordermark ’70 recalled his early acceptance to medical school in December of his 1st Class year. He was concerned about

affording medical school, so he applied for a program that would allow officers to serve their active duty while attending medical school but have the Army pay the tuition. The VMI ROTC department learned Jonathan had been accepted into the program over spring furlough 1970. Alvarez traveled from Lexington to Arlington, Virginia, to personally inform Jonathan, who recalled, even after more than 50 years, that Alvarez was “beaming with the good news.” Jonathan went on to serve over 20 years in the Medical Corps.

Alvarez departed VMI after graduation in 1970 for a second tour in Vietnam. He was assigned as a company first sergeant in the 5th Infantry (Bobcats) of the 25th Infantry Division. Three weeks into his tour, he was severely wounded and repatriated, spending the next eight months recuperating and relearning to walk. For his heroism under fire, Alvarez received the Purple Heart, the Army Commendation Medal, and a second Bronze Star (with Valor device).

Alvarez retired Sept. 1, 1975, just after I reported to VMI for my rat year. His parting words to me were profound, reflecting his knowledge of and respect for the VMI system. He said, “If you can make it to Christmas, you can make it for four years.” I would not let him down. Upon graduating, I gave him my cadet saber in gratitude for his love and support.

Alvarez is survived by his son, Pedro, and his wife, Charlotte; daughter-in-law, Belinda Alvarez; and four granddaughters. Alvarez still has one sister and three brothers in Puerto Rico. All members of his family take comfort that he is finally at peace and reunited for eternity with his parents, Pedro and Juana, as well as his wife, Petra, and son, Chuck.

Peay ’62 Receives Goodpaster Award

The George C. Marshall Foundation awarded Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III ’62, VMI’s 14th superintendent, the Andrew J. Goodpaster Award for his more than half-century of service to the U.S. with a ceremony held at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia, Dec. 1, 2023.

The Goodpaster Award honors the life and service of Gen. Andrew J. Goodpaster, a longtime trustee and a chairman of the George C. Marshall Foundation. Goodpaster was a champion of the legacy of George C. Marshall, Class of 1901, an American hero and an extraordinary public servant. It is presented to American business leaders, politicians, military leaders, and others who have served our nation in exemplary ways and, like Goodpaster, exhibited great courage, selfless service, patriotism, and leadership in their lives and careers. Peay’s U.S. Army career was marked by achievement in both war and peace. He served two tours in the Republic of Vietnam, and later, as commander of the 101st Airborne Division, he guided his unit through vital roles in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He concluded his Army career as the 24th Vice Chief of Staff and then as U.S. Central Command commander-in-chief.

Peay’s military awards and decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Army Distinguished Service Medal

with three oak leaf clusters, Silver Star, and Purple Heart. He wears U.S. campaign ribbons for combat duty in Vietnam and Saudi Arabia and has received foreign awards from Vietnam, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.

After retirement from the Army, Peay served as the Allied Defense Group chief executive officer before returning to the Institute, where he served as superintendent from 2003–20. During his time as superintendent, Peay implemented Vision 2039, his plan for VMI. Vision 2039 ushered in a period of growth and change throughout the Institute, including enhanced academic, athletic, military, and leadership development programs, as well as infrastructure projects. In August 2023, Peay was also awarded the Kappa Alpha Order’s Distinguished Achievement Award, which has only been presented to 19 other recipients—the first being Marshall. Peay matriculated from Richmond, Virginia, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering. He also received the Society of the Cincinnati Medal at his graduation. At VMI, he was a quarterback on the football team, an Honor Court member, and a battalion commander. He holds a master’s degree from George Washington University and is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and the U.S. Army War College.

After 22 years of coverage, longtime climbing blogger and fixture in Yosemite Valley, Thomas “Tom” M. Evans ’66, retired October 2023. A retired schoolteacher and former climber, Evans is the foremost documentarian of climbing activity on El Capitan, a world-famous 3,000foot granite cliff in Yosemite Valley.

Daily, Evans observed and photographed climbers and climbing conditions on the crag from El Capitan Meadow, documenting his observations on his blog, ElCap Report. Though he photographed and covered climbing activity as early as 1995, Evans began robust coverage of El Capitan in 2003 when he retired from teaching; by 2005, he began ElCap Report. Until Evans’ retirement, ElCap Report was the preeminent resource for Yosemite’s climbing community.

Evans matriculated from Arlington, Virginia, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI.

Sommers ’72

Soaak Technologies, Inc. appointed Gale F. Sommers ’72 to its board of directors in September 2023.

Based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Soaak Technologies is a leading provider of innovative health technology solutions, revolutionizing personal health, wellness, and performance through the power of AI and machine learning. By leveraging cutting-edge therapies and intelligent algorithms, Soaak Technologies has provided over 15 million minutes of digital health solutions in 133 countries. Through data-driven insights and continuous learning, Soaak Technologies drives innovation, enabling breakthroughs in understanding, preventing, and managing various health challenges while optimizing the mind, body, and spirit in a connected, data-driven world. The Soaak mobile app contains 30 sound frequency compositions clinically tested as an effective holistic therapy method.

Sommers matriculated from Brownstown, Indiana, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics. He later earned a Master of Accounting degree from Ball

Photo courtesy the George C. Marshall Foundation.

Evans ’66

State University. Sommers’ professional positions have included Ernst & Young LLP partner; Reilly Mortgage Group, Inc. senior vice president and chief financial officer; GS Advisors, LLC, principal; and Professional Warranty Service Corporation president and chief executive officer. In addition to Soaak Technologies, his board memberships include Landis Architects/Builders Advisory Board of Directors, the CFO Alliance Global Advisory Board, and the VMI Foundation Board of Trustees.

Lingamfelter ’73

The U.S. Field Artillery Association inducted retired U.S. Army Col. L. Scott Lingamfelter ’73 into the USFAA Hall of Fame in recognition of his contributions to the artillery branch Nov. 4, 2023.

Lingamfelter matriculated from Richmond, Virginia, and was a distinguished military graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI. He was commissioned into the Army. As a combat artilleryman with the 1st Infantry Division Artillery in 1991 during Operation Desert Storm, he helped plan and execute the largest field artillery assault on enemy forces since World War II. He then commanded the 6-37th Field Artillery Battalion in South Korea. After many assignments worldwide, he rose to the rank of colonel. Over his career, he served in numerous combat units, as a United Nations military observer in the Middle East, the Defense Intelligence Agency, the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, and as a senior adviser on Special Access Programs for the secretary of the Army. Lingamfelter concluded his military career as the military assistant to the director of the Defense

Operational Test and Evaluation office. He retired in 2001 after 28 years of service.

In the private sector, Lingamfelter served as a strategic planner for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency in Washington, D.C. Additionally, he worked in the emergency management, homeland security, and border security arena in support of federal agencies, states, and localities. Representing Prince William and Fauquier Counties, Lingamfelter was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates from 2002–18, where he was instrumental in funding major VMI construction projects, including the barracks, academic, and physical fitness facilities. He authored two books, “Desert Redleg: Artillery Warfare in the First Gulf War” and “Yanks in Blue Berets: American UN Peacekeepers in the Middle East.” Both of Lingamfelter’s sons, John Lingamfelter ’08 and Paul Lingamfelter ’12, also attended the Institute.

The National Nuclear Security Administration, a semi-autonomous agency with the U.S. Department of Energy, selected Gregory “Greg” P. Hatchett ’90 as the permanent deputy associate administrator for enterprise stewardship Jan. 2, 2024. Prior to this position, Hatchett served as the NNSA Immediate Office of the Administrator special assistant, associate principal deputy administrator, supporting agency-wide initiatives to improve operations.

Hatchett has more than 25 years of experience combining the nuclear fuel cycle and nuclear security operations to the Environment, Safety, and Health position. He previously served as loan program office deputy director of the management and operations division, supporting the decarbonization of America as the federal government’s premiere public debt financing organization for clean energy technology. Hatchett was also a technical consultant at AREVA,

Inc., the world’s largest nuclear energy services organization, and he has held high-level staff and supervisory roles while working for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. He is returning to NA-ESH, where he previously served as a senior adviser.

Hatchett matriculated from Newport News, Virginia, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI.

TransCore announced Neal “Whitt” W. Hall ’02 as its new president and chief executive officer Jan. 10, 2024.

Hall ’02

TransCore is a leader in the transportation industry with over 4,000 employees worldwide, providing innovative tolling systems and next-generation traffic management solutions across the design-build-operate-maintain service spectrum. Prior to his appointment as CEO, Hall served as TransCore’s chief operating officer for four years, in addition to various other roles throughout his 20-year career with the company. Hall has been part of the leadership team that was instrumental in driving TransCore’s growth over the past decade. As COO, he placed a strong emphasis on innovative technology development and excellence in customer service while also leading TransCore’s major business development initiatives, both domestically and internationally.

Hall matriculated from Roanoke, Virginia, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. After graduation, Hall earned a Master of Science degree in transportation and highway engineering from the University of Texas–Austin. Hall’s father, Mark M. Hall ’75, and cousin, Chad Correll ’94, are both graduates of VMI, as well. Hall currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee.

Graduate School Partnerships

The Virginia Military Institute has forged relationships with graduate and professional schools in Virginia and across the U.S. These agreements offer opportunities, including admissions concessions, internships, guaranteed interviews and, in some cases, guaranteed admissions. Partnerships include Virginia Commonwealth University, the

University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, Florida State University, Norwich University, and the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine. Programs include law, medicine, business, engineering, and communications.

Contact Olivia Fowler at fowlerog@vmi.edu for more information.

Book Announcements

The Making of a Leader: The Formative Years of George C. Marshall by Josiah Bunting III ’63. Knopf, 2024. ISBN: 9781400042586. Available via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, and Walmart.

“The Making of a Leader: The Formative Years of George C. Marshall” is a portrait of one of the greatest leaders of modern history, George Catlett Marshall (1880–1959), Class of 1901, and a distillation of the essential lessons his formative years offer the leaders of today and tomorrow.

Marshall’s accomplishments are well known: After helping to guide the Allies to victory during World War II, he set Europe on the postwar path to recovery with the plan that bears his name, and he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953. But how did he become such an effective leader?

By eschewing the years and accomplishments for which Marshall is most often remembered and focusing instead on the decisive moments that preceded them, “The Making of a Leader” provides the most detailed look yet at the mettle of Marshall’s character, from his arrival as a cadet at VMI and his Fort Leavenworth days—where he “learned how to learn”—to his instructive time as U.S. Army Gen. John J. Pershing’s aide-de-camp and his critical experiences during World War I.

Josiah Bunting III ’63, a lifelong educator and former VMI superintendent, highlights the importance of Marshall’s activity between the wars when he led “the single most influential period of military education” at Fort Moore, formerly Fort Benning, eventually culminating in his appointment as Army chief of staff in 1939.

In this illuminating portrait, Bunting cuts through the legend of Marshall to the man—his frustrations, passions, loves, and brilliance—revealing a humble commander who knew not only

how to lead but how to see the leader in others.

About the Author

Josiah Bunting III ’63, VMI’s 13th superintendent, is an author, educator, and military historian. He matriculated from Litchfield, Connecticut, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from VMI. He is a former Rhodes Scholar at the University of Oxford, served as a major in the U.S. Army, and later, as VMI superintendent from 1995–02. He served in the U.S. Army from 1966–73. He also served as president of Briarcliff College and Hampden-Sydney College and as headmaster at the Lawrenceville School.

His previous books include “The Lionheads,” one of Time magazine’s 10 best novels of 1973, and “Ulysses S. Grant,” published as part of Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr.’s American Presidents series. In recognition of his many accomplishments and lifelong devotion to higher education, Bunting was appointed to the National Council of the National Endowment for the Humanities by former President George W. Bush. He lives with his wife in Newport, Rhode Island.

Decisions of the 1862 Shenandoah Valley Campaign: The Sixteen Critical Decisions That Defined the Operation by Robert G. Tanner ’69. University of Tennessee Press, 2023. ISBN: 9781621907695. Available via Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

The Shenandoah Valley Campaign, often referred to as Jackson’s Valley Campaign, saw Gen. Stonewall Jackson lead fewer than 17,000 Confederate soldiers on a 464-mile march that defeated three larger Union armies. Jackson’s men fought and skirmished for months to achieve their ultimate objective of preventing Union forces in

the Valley from reinforcing the federal assault on the Confederacy’s capital in Richmond, Virginia. Jackson’s success in the Shenandoah Valley contributed greatly to his legend among Confederate soldiers and brass and to his permanent place in military history, yet Jackson was not the only leader of note during this pivotal episode of the Civil War.

“Decisions of the 1862 Shenandoah Valley Campaign” explores the critical decisions made by Confederate and Union leaders during the campaign, with emphasis on how these decisions shaped its outcome. Rather than offering a narrative history of the campaign, Tanner focuses on the decisions made by leaders at all levels of the contest to explain why the campaign unfolded as it did. Identifying and exploring these critical decisions allows students of the campaign to progress from knowledge of what happened to a mature grasp of the reasoning that led to the remarkable outcome of this dramatic episode of the Civil War.

In addition to many maps, “Decisions of the 1862 Shenandoah Valley Campaign” offers readers a driving tour through significant sites where critical decisions were made or unfolded. This tour offers extra insight into the campaign by placing readers on the actual ground where critical decisions were made in the Shenandoah Valley in 1862.

“Decisions of the 1862 Shenandoah Valley Campaign” is the 17th book in a series exploring the critical decisions of major Civil War campaigns and battles.

About the Author:

Matriculating from Malibu, California, Robert G. Tanner ’69 graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI. After graduation,

Tanner earned a Juris Doctor degree from Wake Forest University and practiced trial law in Atlanta, Georgia, for 46 years.

Now retired, Tanner spends time continuing his lifelong interest in Jackson’s Valley Campaign of 1862. In 1976, Doubleday published Tanner’s book, “Stonewall in the Valley,” which was a book of the month for history and military history book clubs. With the discovery of more historical material in the following years, Tanner expanded and republished the book under the same title in 1996. Allen Guelzo, an American historian, named “Stonewall in the Valley” the “finest overall study of Jackson’s 1862 Shenandoah campaign” in a Wall Street Journal review of literature regarding Stonewall Jackson Sept. 27, 2014.

In Strange Company: An American Soldier with Multinational Forces in the Middle East and Iraq by Roland J. Tiso Jr. ’73. Casemate, 2024. ISBN: 9781636243948. Available via Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

The decision not to deploy reoriented trained Iraqi divisions and other allied forces in numbers significant enough to adequately stabilize the situation in Iraq in 2003–04 resulted in significant shortages of manpower and equipment that eventually led to a less-than-satisfactory ending to the campaign and significantly challenged the entire coalition effort in the first year of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The roles and missions assumed by allies were vitally important in the under-resourced effort to bring order to the chaos within Iraq but would remain relatively unheralded throughout most of the campaign.

The account of this time by retired U.S. Army Col. Roland J. Tiso Jr. ’73 offers unique insights into the challenges of planning the Iraqi campaign and the intricacies and challenges of multinational service. Tiso’s perspective is focused through the lens of his assignments as a war planner at U.S. Central Command, the senior military adviser of the Arab Peninsula Shield Force and the Polish-led Multinational Division (Central-South), and the chief of staff and deputy chief of staff for operations (C-3) of the Coalition Military Assistance Training Team tasked to develop the New Iraqi Army. His observations cast significant light on the missions these units undertook and the challenges they confronted. His firsthand account of operational planning for the war in Iraq captures the concerns of military planners and senior commanders to liberate and stabilize the country, enabling the reader to

better understand the challenges of operational war planning, coalition warfare, the difficulty of stabilizing Iraq after the fall of Baghdad, the development of the New Iraqi Army, and ultimately a deeper understanding of America’s “long war” in Iraq.

About the Author:

Matriculating from Pelham, New York, Roland J. Tiso Jr. ’73 earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI and was a distinguished military graduate. Upon graduation, he commissioned as a U.S. Army infantry second lieutenant. Tiso is a graduate of the U.S. Army War College and the Command and General Staff and Armed Forces Staff Colleges, and he earned a Master of Public Administration degree from James Madison University.

His 31-year military career included command of multiple companies, as well as time in the VMI Army ROTC Department. He served in Somalia in 1994 to coordinate and assist in planning the United Nations Operations in Somalia II withdrawal. He was the U.S. Central Command War Plans Division chief from 1996–97 and was one of the primary planners of the Iraq War plans supporting the nation’s two-theatre war strategy.

He holds numerous decorations, including the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, and Army Achievement Medal. He is also the only American to receive the Ukrainian Order of Valor and Honor for combat action in Iraq.

After retiring from the Army, Tiso became an OGSystems, LLC, associate in Chantilly, Virginia, and served at U.S. Central Command as the company’s project manager and as an intelligence planner and analyst until 2015. He deployed to the Central Region throughout that period, including five tours of duty in Afghanistan and one tour in Pakistan. He was the Sallyport Global Holdings deputy project manager supporting the Iraqi Air Force at Balad Air Base, Iraq, from 2016–17, and DC Capital Partners military and security consultant in Alexandria, Virginia, from 2017–19.

He and his wife, Judie, reside in Valrico, Florida. They have two daughters and two granddaughters.

Magic: The Life of Earvin “Magic” Johnson by Roland Lazenby ’74. Celadon Books, 2023. ISBN: 9781250320254. Available via

Amazon and wherever books are sold.

Magic Johnson is one of the most beloved and, at times, controversial athletes in history. His iconic smile lifted the dowdy sport of American professional basketball from a second-tier sport with low ratings into the global spotlight—a transformation driven by Magic’s ability to eviscerate opponents with a playing style that featured his grand sense of fun. He was a master entertainer who directed the Los Angeles “Showtime” Lakers to the heights of both glory and epic excess, all of it driven by his mind-blowing no-look passes and personal charm.

Then, in 1991, at the height of his charismatic power, Johnson shocked the world with a startling cautionary tale about sexually transmitted disease that pushed public awareness of the HIV/ AIDS crisis. Then, out came his confession of unprotected sex with hundreds of women each year, followed by his retirement, an attempted return, and a proper farewell on the iconic 1992 Olympic Dream Team.

Longtime biographer Roland Lazenby ’74 spent years tracking the unlikely ascent of Johnson, an immensely popular public figure who was instantly scandalized but who then turned to his legendary will to rise again as a successful entrepreneur with another level of hard-won success. In Lazenby’s portrayal, Johnson’s tale becomes bigger than that of one man. It is a generational saga spanning parts of three centuries that reveals a great deal, not just about his unique basketball journey but about America itself.

Through hundreds of interviews with Johnson’s coaches, representatives past and present, teammates, opponents, friends, and loved ones, as well as key conversations with Johnson himself over the years, Lazenby has produced the first truly definitive study, both dark and light, of Earvin “Magic” Johnson Jr.—the revolutionary player, the icon, the man.

About the Author:

Roland Lazenby ’74 is the author of definitive biographies of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Jerry West, among other books, including “Best Regrets: VMI’s John McKenna and the Lost Age of College Football.” He has spent the past three decades writing about the NBA, interviewing players, coaches, staff members, and other figures.

Lazenby matriculated from Wytheville, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from VMI. In 1985, he graduated from the graduate writing program at Hollins University.

Black Retires After 24 Years

After 24 years of service to the VMI Alumni Agencies, Vickie Black retired in April 2024. Black, VMI Foundation prospect management and research director, spent more than two decades serving the Foundation and its mission to support the future of the Institute.

“Vickie has been a valuable member of the VMI Alumni Agencies, supporting the work of our fundraisers behind the scenes for many years,” said David Prasnicki, Alumni Agencies chief executive officer. “Their success was boosted by her insight and knowledge with donor prospects. She has also been a dedicated and compassionate member of the greater VMI family. For that reason, although she will be missed, we know we will see her around post and at athletic events!”

Peace ’22 and Shehan Join Alumni Agencies

Peace ’22

Jacob Peace ’22 joined the Alumni Agencies as Alumni Association alumni program officer in January 2024. He matriculated from Berryville, Virginia, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from VMI. Following graduation, he earned his Master of Science degree in hospitality and tourism management from Florida International University in Miami, Florida, in 2023. While a cadet, Peace was a three-year editor of the Cadence Journal, a yearly publication produced by the Institute that highlights works within genres such as prose, poetry, and photography. Peace was also a student athlete who played football for six collegiate seasons both at VMI and FIU as an offensive lineman. Peace was also a member of the 2021 team who brought home a conference championship to VMI. His other accomplishments and awards include the Sir Moses Ezekiel Award, the Bruce W. Undercoffer ’76 Award, the Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Medal, and being named a Hampshire Honor Society member in 2023.

“I am excited to welcome Jacob to the Alumni Association team,” said Ed Johnson ’79, Alumni Association chief operating officer. “He brings a wealth of knowledge and teamwork, and he will make significant contributions to our organization.”

Brooklyn Shehan joined the Alumni Agencies as reunion event coordinator in January 2024. Shehan has more than nine years of experience in higher education, having previously worked at Mountain Gateway Community College in a variety of career coaching and grant management roles with the workforce solutions and community education department. Most recently, she was project coordinator with the president’s office. Shehan earned her Bachelor of Science degree in marketing management and a minor in psychology from Virginia Tech.

Shehan also owns a wedding and event planning business, which she founded in 2016, and she is thrilled to use her event planning background to create exceptional reunion experiences for VMI alumni. She lives in Lexington with her husband, Ben; their 1-year-old daughter, Lilly; and their two dogs, Boone and Bodhi. Shehan was born and raised in Rockbridge County and has always admired and respected VMI, its mission, and the important impact the Institute has on her community.

“Brooklyn comes to us with an impressive background and an abundance of expertise in event planning,” said Christina Cummings, advancement services director. “I am confident the Agencies and our alumni will benefit greatly with her onboard as our new reunion event coordinator. We are incredibly fortunate to have her join our team!”

Shehan

Members of the Rat Mass test their strength during Rat Olympics in November 2023.—VMI Photo by H. Lockwood McLaughlin.