2025-Issue 4 Alumni Review

2025 - Issue 4

In This Issue . . .

This issue includes class notes and news items covering the time period of May 17, 2025, to Aug. 15, 2025.

PUBLISHER

VMI Alumni Agencies

Chief Executive Officer: David Prasnicki

Chief Communications Officer: Amy Goetz

Editor-in-Chief: Jordan Czekner

Assistant Editor: Mattie Montgomery

Communications Officer: Scott Belliveau ’83

Designer: Joe Czekner

Development Writer: Mary Price

Staff Photographers: Joe Czekner and Mary Price

Freelance Photography: H. Lockwood McLaughlin

ALUMNI REVIEW ONLINE vmialumni.org/alumnireview

PUBLISHING OFFICE

VMI Alumni Agencies

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

PRINTER

Walsworth | St. Joseph, Michigan

The VMI Alumni Review (USPS 954-740) is published four times yearly in fall, winter, spring, and summer by the VMI Alumni Agencies, P.O. Box 932, Lexington, VA 24450. It is sent to alumni and friends of the Institute without subscription. Periodicals postage paid at Lynchburg, VA, and additional mailing offices.

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Out of consideration for the privacy of VMI alumni and friends, please refrain from using contact information found in Alumni Agencies publications or on the website for solicitation purposes.

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

Outside Cover: A cadre member leads the Rat Mass of 2026+3 on a 5.5-mile hike up House Mountain, which stands at an elevation of 3,600 feet, during Matriculation Week Aug. 20, 2025.—VMI Photo by H. Lockwood McLaughlin.

A Message From

the VMI Alumni Agencies

by

Matthew Hemenez ’90

VMI Alumni Association President

John Williams ’88 VMI Alumni Agencies Board Chairman and VMI Foundation President

In November, the VMI family commemorates the founding of the Institute 186 years ago. This milestone marks the fulfillment of a vision and years-long effort to create an educational institution to serve a young nation that was rapidly growing in wealth, power, and confidence.

VMI has always stood apart. The first state-supported military college in the United States, its very name signaled a difference from other colleges of the 1830s. VMI also chose a unique way to define its founding. Nov. 11 does not mark the signing of a charter or passage of a law; it marks the moment when John B. Strange, Class of 1842, took post as the first cadet sentry.

That choice reflects the Institute’s essence. The tradition of cadet sentries continues to this day, symbolizing discipline, service, and honor. While Col. J.T.L. Preston, Col. Claudius Crozet, and Maj. Gen. Francis Henney Smith gave VMI structure and vision, the first cadets truly established the Institute. They accepted the demands of self-discipline, perseverance, and above all, personal honor. They built the traditions of cadet life and would go on to create the legacy of honorable achievement, active citizenship, and selfless service, which are common traits of VMI alumni known as “the spirit of VMI.” The day after they graduated, these young men created what would become the VMI Alumni Association.

By remembering Cadet Strange’s devotion to duty on that snowy day, we reaffirm the foundation of our unity: Devotion to the Corps of Cadets. Every member of our faculty, staff, and coaches works with one focus—ensuring the cadet experience prepares young men and women to lead with energy,

VMI Keydet Club President

purpose, and honor in their communities, the Commonwealth, and the nation. At the VMI Alumni Agencies, every effort—communication, stewardship, events, and fundraising—exists to strengthen the bonds of alumni, parents, families, and friends in support of the Corps of Cadets.

This Founders Day also marks a new beginning as we welcome our 16th superintendent, retired U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. David Furness ’87. He brings the wisdom of a distinguished 36-year military career, commanding at every level from platoon to division and serving in numerous staff positions of increasing responsibility. He brings an abiding love for VMI and a commitment to ensuring cadets leave post prepared to serve as citizen-leaders.

We invite you to consider what role you will play in shaping VMI’s future. You may serve as a volunteer leader. You may guide cadets through mentorship or career advice. You may encourage high-quality young men and women in your community to apply. You may strengthen the bonds within the VMI family and the bonds all of us have with the Institute and our cadets. You may provide financial support that expands opportunity for deserving young men and women and strengthens the Institute’s remarkable education. Whether you do one or all of these things, or none at all, you are a valued member of the VMI family, and we want you to remain close to the Institute.

As we move forward, let us reflect on the bold vision of our founders, the humble beginnings of the Institute, and the extraordinary record of achievement and service of our alumni. The potential ahead is just as inspiring.

Rah Virginia Mil!

Rogers ’67 Presents Keilty ’10 with Gift

Jimmy Rogers ’67 (center) and his wife, Bootsie, along with Tom and Susie Rhodes ’67, present U.S. Navy Cmdr. Jack Keilty ’10 (fourth from left) with a framed article about Keilty previously published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch at the Blue Angels performance at the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort in South Carolina April 12, 2025.

Left: Retired U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. James W. Bierman Jr. ’87 at his retirement ceremony at Marine Barracks Washington in Washington, D.C., June 18, 2025. Bierman now serves as the 47th commandant of the Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets.

U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Bierman ’87

Retires

Frey ’92 Presents Award Established in His Honor

U.S. Marine Corps Col. James W. Frey ’92 (fourth from left) presents the inaugural James W. Frey Award given in his honor at the annual Marine Corps Aviation Association Awards at the 2025 Symposium in Dallas, Texas, May 15, 2025. The James W. Frey Award, also known as the Marine Corps Unmanned Aerial Systems Officer of the Year Award, recognizes a Marine Corps UAS officer whose exceptional performance, leadership, and dedication to the mission reflect the spirit of Frey, a pioneer in Marine Corps aviation and unmanned systems.

U.S. Coast Guard Cmdr. Cortese ’01 Retires

U.S. Coast Guard Cmdr. Mike Cortese ’01 retires from the Coast Guard June 13, 2025, at Walter Hall Park in League City, Texas. Pictured attending his retirement ceremony are (from left) U.S. Army Col. Kevin Consedine ’01, Rody Grant ’94, Brad Herrell ’01, John Ginder ’04, Cortese, Bill Ginder ’71, U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. John Tempone ’01, Andrew Conville ’90, and U.S. Coast Guard Ensign John Griffin ’23.

Peltier ’04

U.S. Army Special Forces Chief Warrant Officer Geoff Peltier ’04 honors those fallen at Brécourt Manor, the site of the World War II U.S. parachute assault on D-Day in 1944.

Harvey ’09: Change of Command Rumbaugh ’14: Change of Command

U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. James “Mike” Harvey Jr. ’09 with his family at his change of command ceremony, assuming duties as inspector-instructor for the 6th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company at Joint Base Lewis–McChord in Washington, July 17, 2025.

Virginia Army National Guard 1st Lt. Jonathan Rumbaugh ’14 takes command of D Company for the 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team at his change of command ceremony in Warrenton, Virginia, June 26, 2025.

Harvey ’14, Pizzaro ’14 Serve Aboard USS Iwo Jima

U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdrs. Hunter Harvey ’14 and Patrick Pizzaro ’14 serve together aboard the USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) in July 2025.

Dechert ’24 Serves with Virginia Army National Guard

U.S. Army Capt. Brandon White ’17 concludes his company command time at Fort Lee in Prince George County, Virginia, in August 2025.

U.S. Marine Corps alumni graduate from the Marine Corps The Basic School June 18, 2025. Pictured are (from left) U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Kenneth Krstulovic ’20, a staff platoon commander at TBS; 2nd Lt. Ryan O’Connor ’24; 1st Lt. Katelynn Riley ’23; and 2nd Lt. Owen Ahrens ’24. Present but not pictured is 2nd Lt. Antonio Lemus ’24.

In Memory: Heriot “Rhett” Clarkson ’61

By Scott Belliveau ’83, Communications Officer

Heriot “Rhett” Clarkson ’61, a former VMI Board of Visitors member and former VMI Keydet Club president, died June 20, 2025. He was 87.

The son of Rev. and Mrs. Thomas Simons Clarkson, Clarkson was born in Houston, Texas, March 4, 1938. After finishing high school at St. Stephen’s School in Alexandria, Virginia, he entered VMI as a civil engineering major in September 1957.

Clarkson often joked about his academic challenges at the Institute, but those jokes were factually based. At the end of his 3rd Class year, for example, the Institute required him to repeat the year academically. Like many other alumni who struggled as cadets, however, Clarkson achieved impressive professional success and was steadfastly loyal to VMI.

From 1962–63, he worked for the California Highway Department, after which he served in the U.S. Army for 2 years as an artillery officer. He then returned to Virginia, worked in highway construction for a year, and then joined the Richmond firm Concrete Pipe & Products, Inc.—the president of which was Stanley R. Navas, Class of 1941.

even well-established companies to meet it. So, Clarkson and a partner invested $5,000 each in a new company: Virginia Precast Corporation.

With three employees, they opened a facility in Ashland, Virginia, in October 1968. At the end of its first year, the company’s sales topped $100,000—and Clarkson bought out his partner for $50,000. In 1971, the company had 30 employees and built a $300,000 plant in Hanover County. By 1972, its sales were close to $1 million.

“He did too much for VMI to even attempt to recount it all, but he was very well known to the larger community that supports the Institute.”

Navas often exhorted people to “have the guts, energy, and imagination to follow and fight for your dream.” While there is no evidence that Clarkson heard it, in 1968, he certainly made a bold move. As a 1971 article in the Richmond News-Leader put it, he “quit his job, sold his house, and began looking for other employment.”

Northern Virginia was then in the early stages of the building boom that would dramatically reshape the area. Based on his experience, Clarkson knew that the area’s construction industry had a pressing need for precast concrete products. He also realized the demand would outstrip the capability of

In 1989, Virginia Precast Corporation had 200 employees and was well established in Northern Virginia and the Tidewater region. That year, Clarkson sold the company to ESSROC, a large cement company based in Pennsylvania. He remained with ESSROC as a regional manager for 2 years and then as a consultant when the company became Americast. His many and varied entrepreneurial ventures included his primary one: Specialty funding for construction lending.

Clarkson served business and civic organizations, including the Virginia Utility Contractors Council (which he led as president), Heavy Utility Contractors Association, Horne Engineering Service, the Tredegar Trust, Elk Hill Farm Home for Boys, the George C. Marshall Foundation, and the Windsor Farms Association. An active citizen, he was the chairman of the Public Safety Committee of the Governor’s Commission on Government Reform and a member of the State Air Pollution Control Advisory Board and the Small Business Advisory Board. He played a major role in the revival of Little League baseball in Richmond in the 1980s and 1990s, increasing the number of active teams from two to 36 by 1997.

Clarkson’s devotion to VMI was exemplary. Active among Richmond-area alumni, he often hosted events, including

get-togethers after VMI vs. University of Richmond football games and gatherings for incoming rats and their parents at his home.

John Marshall ’77 remembers Clarkson for doing “a remarkable job of advocating for VMI in his business life, and he played a large role in helping the generation behind him come deeper into the VMI alumni ranks and into the business side of construction and its related activities in Central Virginia.

“He was a very generous person and always tried to include others in his own good fortune— particularly his fellow VMI men,” he continued. “He did too much for VMI to even attempt to recount it all, but he was very well known to the larger community that supports the Institute.”

A firm believer in athletics’ value to VMI, Clarkson joined the VMI Keydet Club’s board in 1976 and served as its president from 1981–83. In 1987, he honored his father by endowing the Chaplain Thomas Simons Clarkson Memorial Scholarship to support cadet-athletes. He was also a consistent and generous annual donor to the Keydet Club.

Clarkson was co-chairman of his class’ 25th Reunion Campaign Committee and on the 50th Reunion Campaign Committee. Both efforts realized significant gifts and commitments in support of VMI, with the latter raising more than $8.6 million. He was also a member of the Leadership Gifts Committee of the Campaign for VMI.

Clarkson served on the Board of Visitors from 1994–2002

and was on numerous committees and subcommittees, including the Cadet Affairs Committee. Throughout his service, he was devoted to improving barracks life, upholding the class system, and strengthening the honor system. He fervently advocated the need to maintain high standards of behavior within the Corps of Cadets.

His BOV service coincided with the legal battle about the admission of women and the early years of their presence in barracks. In 1996, Clarkson became part of the team that addressed the many issues related to the admission of women.

In July 1997, then-Superintendent Maj. Gen. Josiah Bunting III ’63 wrote to him, “[Y]ou played a wonderful role in the future of VMI. Your time and effort ... were key to the ... development of the successful plan to assimilate women into the Corps. ... The entire VMI community is grateful to you.”

Michael Strickler ’71, former VMI sports information director and later the leader of VMI’s public relations office, who often encountered Clarkson, said Clarkson “gave freely of himself for the betterment of VMI. I always remember him with a smile on his face and ready to laugh regardless of the situation.”

“Rhett was very proud of VMI,” said Gregory M. Cavallaro ’84, former Keydet Club executive vice president. “He’ll be long remembered for his willingness to contribute his time, talent, and generosity.”

He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Janice “Jan” Clarkson, three sons, and six grandchildren.

Hayes ’49B INSIDE & OVER THE FENCE

By Jim Dittrich ’76, Alumni Association Historian

John G. “Jack” Hayes ’49B entered VMI in fall 1945. While at VMI, he learned some great lessons and made lifelong friends, but academics were a struggle. Dropping out after three semesters, Hayes joined the U.S. Army and began a 33-year career of military service, during which he would earn over 60 combat decorations, including four Silver Stars and six Purple Hearts.

Hayes was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, March 5, 1928, and at the time of publication, he is 97 years old. Raised in a military family, Hayes’ father was a career Army soldier, serving with Gen. John J. “Black Jack” Pershing in Mexico with the Rainbow Division in World War I and again during World War II. Both of Hayes’ brothers also served in the military.

Recalling his upbringing, Hayes describes his dad’s family as being “poor from Texas.” With his father’s final Army assignment in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the family put down roots there, and Hayes began working in a coal mine and boxing. He excelled as a boxer, once even fighting a future lightweight world champion. At the time, Hayes thought boxing might be his calling, until he was attracted by the idea of a VMI education—a path his dad also wanted him to take. After leaving VMI, he enlisted with an Officer Candidate School option and was commissioned as an armor reserve officer in May 1949.

When war broke out in Korea in June 1950, Hayes was a platoon leader and second lieutenant in the 73rd Heavy Tank Battalion located at Sand Hill, Fort Benning, Georgia. His was one of three tank battalions alerted for Korea. Though they were originally supposed to deploy to Japan, the situation in Korea was critical. In August 1950,

Hayes’ unit was thrown directly into the Pusan Perimeter, a defensive line around South Korea’s southeastern tip. U.S. forces had only the sea behind them, and this was Hayes’ first combat. His platoon was equipped with M26 Pershing tanks with 90mm guns, while North Koreans had Russian T34 tanks, which Hayes admitted were “good tanks.” His time in the Bowling Alley area of the Pusan Perimeter was short, as they were soon loaded on Landing Ship, Tanks, known as LSTs, and prepared for the landings at Inchon.

While Hayes was in combat, he was also on a competitive tour, which meant he had applied for a regular Army commission. He had to pass three evaluations if he wanted to commission, which was essential to his staying in the Army for a career. In addition to fighting in combat, Hayes simultaneously passed all three evaluations and earned a commission.

Hayes landed at Inchon Sept. 15, 1950, via an LST. Inchon was U.S. Army Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s masterful plan to circle behind the North Korean Army and break the siege of the Pusan Perimeter. At the time, they weren’t sure if the tanks would sink in the sand flats at Inchon, but, driving into water up to their hulls, the tanks made it. Hayes’ battalion was to move toward Seoul but instead joined the 32nd Infantry Regiment as they moved south toward Taejon. Hayes reported to Lt. Col. Don Faith, who would later win the Medal of Honor at the Chosin Reservoir. He recalls Faith as a nice man who cared about his soldiers, stopping every tank to wish them well as they headed out on their mission to cut off retreating North Koreans from the Pusan Perimeter.

Hayes’ unit soon was heavily engaged. He remembers “being

scared to death,” but the trust of his company commander, Capt. Jack Doherty, gave him the strength to overcome his fear. His platoon sergeant’s tank was blown up, and Hayes’ tank was disabled. After his men got out through the bottom hatch and Doherty laid direct fire to cover them, Hayes escaped through the turret, paused, and dropped a white phosphorus grenade behind him to destroy the tank.

Next, instead of continuing to flee, Hayes ran over to his platoon sergeant’s tank and threw another WP grenade to ensure it was also destroyed. In the process, Hayes was wounded in his foot with a bullet that passed through his heel and lodged between his toes. He was sent back to the rear and treated; without X-rays to reveal the bullet, however, Hayes was allowed to return to the front with the bullet still in him. He hobbled around, and the wound soon became infected. This time, Hayes was evacuated to Japan, where the bullet was finally removed, and he would earn the first of his four Purple Hearts for combat wounds sustained in Korea.

Hayes did not enjoy his stay in the hospital, and he just left, becoming a courier carrying confidential papers back to Korea. By this time, he was a first lieutenant and rejoined his unit in time for the spring offensive in early 1951. His tank battalion was sent around the east side of Korea to reinforce the Marines, who were retreating from the Chosin Reservoir in the vicinity of Hamhung. Hayes’ service there was brief, and he returned to the western side of Korea in the vicinity of the Iron Triangle, outlined by the cities of Ch’orwon, P’yonggang, and Kimhwa.

Here, Hayes was wounded a second time—this time in the calf. After a hospital stay, he was reassigned as a recon platoon leader in the 3rd Infantry Division. Two more wounds followed, along

with further assignments as a rifle company commander in the 7th Infantry Division and as a tank company commander in the 15th Infantry Regiment. In those units, Hayes served under two great commanders, Edwin Walker, who later became a major general, and Dick Stilwell, who would become a general and command all U.S/U.N. forces in Korea in the 1970s.

After 2 years in Korea, Hayes served with the 10th Special Forces Group at Bad Tölz, Germany. The 10th SFG was established in 1952, along with the 77th SFG at Fort Bragg, and Hayes joined the 10th SFG a few years later. He attended the Special Forces course afterward in class 2-57. When asked why he joined the Special Forces, Hayes remembered the heroics of the First Special Service Force that operated so successfully during World War II.

After Germany, Hayes was assigned to the 77th SFG, later the 7th SFG. President John F. Kennedy was enamored with Special Forces and asked for volunteers to go to Vietnam. Hayes signed up in 1962 and would serve five tours in Vietnam. He really liked the Vietnamese and their culture, and he learned to speak the language. He started as an adviser to the Army of the Republic of Vietnam around the time Ngo Dinh Diem, president of South Vietnam, was assassinated in November 1963. In fact, he remembers meeting Gen. Duong Van Minh, more commonly known as Gen. Big Minh, when Minh was a captain. Minh was instrumental, if not responsible, for the Diem assassination, and later, as president of South Vietnam, he negotiated with the NVA after the fall of Saigon.

Hayes returned to the U.S. from 1964–66 to serve as an instructor at Fort Leavenworth in the Joint Combined Special Operations department. He returned to Vietnam in 1966 and stayed until 1970. While in Vietnam during parts of 1966–67, Hayes commanded the Project Delta, Special Forces Operational Detachment B52. This unit was the second most highly decorated unit of the Vietnam War after Special Forces Unit MACV-SOG, a unit Hayes would one day command, as well.

Project Delta was a secret autonomous reconnaissance unit that operated within the confines of South Vietnam, or “inside the fence.” It included American Special Forces, an American Forward Air Control Section, Vietnamese Special Forces, Vietnamese Airborne Rangers, and Civilian Irregular Defense Group forces consisting of local indigenous personnel. The 281st Army Helicopter Company was attached later. This was a large organization that began in 1964 and continued through 1970. Missions came from the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam headquarters in Saigon. Army/Marine divisions or corps could request missions for deep reconnaissance

in suspected enemy areas. Though dangerous, these missions were often highly successful.

Hayes recalls running missions for the 1st Infantry and 1st Cavalry Divisions, plus the Marine III MAF. Typically, he would insert a sixman team of two U.S. Special Forces soldiers and four indigenous Montagnards. The Montagnards were great soldiers who knew the jungle, the Viet Cong, and the North Vietnamese.

Hayes spent a lot of monitoring missions in a command-and-control helicopter, and he earned a remarkable total of 38 Air Medals during his time in Vietnam. His attention to detail made him very successful, but Hayes always credited his great teams of soldiers. Not all missions went as planned, however, and one haunts Hayes to this day. A six-man reconnaissance team was to gather intelligence on NVA operations in the far northwest corner of South Vietnam. The team included two Special Forces sergeants, Russell “Pete” Bott and Willie E. Stark; a Vietnamese lieutenant; and three indigenous soldiers. Bott and Stark were highly trained soldiers, and it was their responsibility to select a landing zone and routes within the mission perimeters. They briefed their concept of the operation to Hayes and others involved. What they couldn’t factor in was the extreme weather that came on quickly. There was pressure from above Hayes’ level to run this mission, but the Special Forces sergeants or the aircraft pilots could cancel at any time. Usually, they would move in with one or more other helicopters landing at multiple sites to confuse the enemy as to the landing location.

When the insertion team reached the landing zone in a tall mountainous area, there was wind, rain, fog, and low visibility, but the team was inserted successfully. What they didn’t realize was that the stream they used to navigate was confused with another monsoon-swollen stream, and they landed in the wrong landing zone. They had landed in Laos at a time when the U.S. was adamant that American forces stay within South Vietnam, even though the Special Forces SOG teams routinely crossed the borders of Laos and Cambodia.

The fast-moving jet support was grounded due to the weather, but despite the dangerous conditions, Hayes set out with a team in his C&C chopper to rescue the lost Special Forces team. Hayes got the team on the radio and learned Stark was hurt badly. Bott was under fire and short on ammo. The Vietnamese and indigenous people were separated from them. Meanwhile, winds were at 50 knots—perilous conditions for helicopters and an OV-1 FAC.

The FAC found the Special Forces team and could see them in the grass at 300 feet. Flanagan heard Bott call out, “FAC, please help us. We’re hit bad.” Hayes heard this, as well, and will never forget it. Another pick-up chopper flew in for the extraction. Then, the NVA opened fire on the helicopter with automatic weapons. The chopper tried to fly off, but within seconds, it crashed in a fireball. Five U.S. soldiers were killed instantly. Bott and Stark were never found and are listed as MIA.

Hayes moved on from Project Delta to manage a studies and observation group called OPS 30 out of Nha Trang, South Vietnam. He ran classified “over the fence” missions into Laos, Cambodia, and North Vietnam.

“Even now, Hayes follows the Institute and remembers the loyalty and integrity that VMI gave him so many years ago.”

U.S. Army 1st Lt. Ed Flanagan was a Delta FAC who flew out the next day to locate the misplaced team. When Flanagan took off, the winds were at 20 knots per hour, and he was flying a small, one-engine Cessna OV-1. He had no armament nor armor protection, and this plane topped out at 120 mph. He had to fly below 500 feet to see the ground and locate the lost team. Flanagan said flying the Cessna OV-1 that day felt as “if it were a barrel tumbling over Niagara Falls.” He could see signs of enemy movement and saw a small North Vietnamese Army reconnaissance team, teams that were tasked with taking out Special Forces recon teams. He was able to get the lost Special Forces team on the radio, and he circled, hoping they would hear his engine. When they heard him, Flanagan was able to plot their location. They were near the demilitarized zone and in the middle of an NVA regiment. The weather forecast had high winds of up to 50 knots with more bad weather approaching, and Flanagan needed to return to his temporary base at Khe Sanh to refuel.

Only indigenous or tribal units could be sent into North Vietnam, and absolutely no U.S. soldiers. In 1968–69, Hayes took command of 1st Brigade, 9th Infantry Division in the Southern Delta region of South Vietnam. There, one of his battalion commanders and close friends was David Hackworth, who is credited with being one of the most decorated soldiers of the Vietnam War. “Hack” described Hayes as “a quiet, careful, methodical, and introspective soldier, just like the guerrilla enemy we were tasked to fight.” Hayes told me he kept two cobras as pets and enjoyed surprising Hackworth with them. They enjoyed playing practical jokes on each other.

After command, Hayes became a senior adviser to Maj. Gen. Hieu, commander of the ARVN 5th Infantry Division, who would later be assassinated by a fellow ARVN officer during the fall of Saigon in 1975; Hayes and Hieu became great friends during Hayes’ time as adviser. After more than 5 years in combat there, Hayes left Vietnam for good in 1970.

Following Vietnam, Hayes spent 3 years in Thailand advising the Thais, who were fighting a communist and a Muslim insurgency. In Thailand, he would meet and later marry his wife, Paula. Hayes spent his remaining years in service in staff roles, and he retired in 1982 with 33 years of service and 17 years overseas. He settled in Hayes, Virginia, which has no ties to his family but, in name, was an apt place for him to retire.

He remains a VMI man through and through. Even now, Hayes follows the Institute and remembers the loyalty and integrity that VMI gave him so many years ago. Few have seen as much time in combat as Hayes, who was authorized to wear 14 combat stripes on his uniform for 7 years in combat during two wars. On the wall of his home are the many awards he earned, including four Silver Stars, four Legions of Merit, three Distinguished Flying Crosses, 12 Bronze Stars with valor devices, six Purple Hearts, 38 Air Medals, and two Soldier Medals. Hayes’ foreign decorations are nearly equal in number.

“VMI only gives you two things—a Rat Bible and an opportunity,” wrote Cadet Devin Auzenne ’26 in the New Cadet Handbook to the Rat Mass of 2026+3.

Making the most of that opportunity has been Auzenne’s goal since he set foot on post, and now, as 2025–26 VMI regimental commander, he wants to lead the Corps to do the same. Choosing VMI for its challenge, tradition, and transformation, Auzenne spent the last 3 years fully embracing the experience. Now, in his 1st Class year, Auzenne is excited to give back through purpose-driven leadership and ensure every cadet has the same challenges and chances to grow.

When he received his U.S. Marine Corps ROTC scholarship, Auzenne began looking at schools with strong ROTC programs that would prepare him to commission after graduation. From the time he discovered VMI through a YouTube video, he thought, “This is the place for me.” Attending an open house during the spring of his senior year of high school sealed the deal.

As an aspiring history major, Auzenne was drawn to VMI’s well-regarded history department and by the tradition and history of the Institute itself. He also had heard stories of the alumni network and how alums were transformed by their experiences, and he wanted that transformation in his own life.

Hailing from Opelousas, Louisiana, Auzenne recalls the excitement of Matriculation Day and the moment he saw Blake Smith ’23, then-regimental commander, and resolved to become the same kind of leader one day. “As a rat, being regimental commander and pursuing rank within a regimental system going into 1st Class was something I really wanted, but I could never have pictured myself seriously being [regimental commander],” said Auzenne.

A history major wearing academic stars, Auzenne strives to remain 100% committed to every aspect of his cadetship. Learning to balance it all has been a challenge, but it has been more than worth it. In addition to participating in boxing and jiu-jitsu, Auzenne has served in

Auzenne ’26: Regimental Commander

By Mattie Montgomery, Assistant Editor

leadership roles throughout his cadetship, progressing from Company G 4th Class private, to 3rd Class cadre corporal, to 2nd Class regimental sergeant major. “I have grown and matured a lot—not only as a person, but as a leader,” said Auzenne. “VMI has really taught me confidence as a leader. It’s taught me how to be decisive. It’s taught me how to wear my own skin a lot more confidently, how to walk into a place and have a commanding presence.”

“The people who come here—they want to be all that they can be.”

To Auzenne, leadership also entails living out the VMI Honor Code in a holistic manner—in a practical manner and in spirit. “It’s ingrained in us from day one that a cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do,” said Auzenne. “[The Honor Code] is also being there for your people; it’s doing the right thing when no one’s looking.”

Each role in his leadership progression, especially regimental sergeant major, has prepared Auzenne and prompted him to consider how he wants to lead as regimental commander. “Working with the regimental commander and regimental executive officer [2nd Class] year, I got to kind of look behind the curtain of how VMI runs and learn all the things it takes to make it run smoothly,” said Auzenne.

In preparing to lead the entire Corps his 1st Class year, Auzenne relied on the lessons he’d learned over the past 3 years, outlining a strategic framework for the Corps focused on peer accountability, passing guidance, and cadet leader empowerment. Peer accountability means

ensuring every cadet, regardless of rank, holds each other accountable with the conviction that “each and every person is the face of VMI.” Passing guidance refers to the effective and timely communication of leadership operations and guidance across Corps leadership. Last is cadet leader empowerment, which he explained as encouraging cadets to voice concerns and make a difference at VMI.

His enthusiasm for his new role is palpable, and it flows from the energy of the Corps—especially his fellow 1st Class cadets holding rank or command positions. “They really care deeply about VMI, and [they’ve] really bought into the VMI system,” said Auzenne. Now, the 1st Class leadership is energized and equipped to make a powerful and positive difference. “It just gets people fired up, especially to be able to work with each other because this truly is a special place with special people.”

This ability to begin giving back to the Institute through leadership is important to Auzenne because of what it represents: Opportunity, transformation, and a Corps shaped by the Honor Code. “VMI is one of those places that has so much to offer you that not taking that opportunity would be just leaving, like leaving money, leaving cards on the table,” said Auzenne. “The people who come here—they want to be all that they can be.” He wants to give back to ensure the cadets following him are prepared to lead, just as he is “because at the end of the day, people come here because they want to be leaders.”

The Class of 2026 motto is “earned, never given,” and this has been the regimental and Honor Court systems’ commitment for the upcoming year. Through training and standards, they aim to ensure that cadets earn everything they receive in terms of privileges and success at VMI. This conviction is what prompted Auzenne to write that note to the incoming rats. This chance to seize an opportunity to grow, Auzenne elaborated, is what makes VMI special to him: “That’s one of the things I really love about VMI. It gives you all the tools, but it’s up to you to see what you’re going to do with them.”

“I want to uplift others. I want to heal others, and I want to motivate others that they are way more capable than they think they are. So if I have the opportunity to do that, I’m going to do so.” That’s what Cadet Maximus “Max” Ankrah ’26 says about the internal drive that powers his VMI cadetship—and his leadership as both 2025–26 General Committee president and Class of 2026 president, the latter position being one he’ll hold for a lifetime. Heading into his 1st Class year, Ankrah is honored to lead his brother rats and excited for his future as an intelligence or medical corps officer in the U.S. Air Force.

The child of parents who immigrated to the United States from Ghana as teenagers and met while stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, where they were both serving in the military, Ankrah found himself drawn to military schools when the time came to choose a college. He was still considering his options when, in summer 2021, his family took a life-changing trip, traveling to Ghana to visit his grandparents.

“I still remember vividly, there were these kids right across the street from my grandma’s house, and they practically had nothing compared to me,” Ankrah stated. “These were the happiest kids I’ve ever seen. Like little to no clothing, no kitchen. They stayed in one room. It was a single mother of seven kids, and again, they were the happiest kids I’d ever seen. So coming back, I felt this dissonance because I felt bad that I was being ungrateful for what I had.”

For Ankrah, that unsettled feeling became a motivation to live differently. “That was more so a reason why I’m doing everything at VMI,” he explained. “I got to see what little people had, and they made it such a big deal, and I had pretty much everything at hand, and I didn’t make the most of it. Coming to VMI, that’s something I kind of promised myself—that any opportunities that came my way, I was going to take, and I was going to do the very best with them.”

Back on U.S. soil, it was time to choose a college. After attending an open house at VMI

Ankrah ’26: 1st Class President

By Mary Price, Development Writer

during his senior year of high school, Ankrah knew he’d found his perfect fit.

“Just seeing how everyone got along, seeing how people could just go in people’s rooms and just talk to each other—it was just a different type of bond that you just can’t get anywhere else,” said Ankrah of the factors drawing him to VMI. “I saw the other opportunities as well, to be able to commission in the Air Force. So that was the biggest thing for me: To be able to commission and to be able to just have a clean slate and start over and just build myself up.”

As a rat, Ankrah used his experience in Ghana and the advice of alumni to propel himself forward. “I would say, of course, the Rat Line isn’t fun. ... It’s not the most pleasant experience. But with that, I remember I got some advice from alumni—don’t take things personally. And also, again, going to Ghana and seeing what people don’t have compared to what I do have. I have food. I have water. I have a place to stay. I have people who are yelling at me, but they clearly want me to succeed.”

After Breakout, Ankrah dove more deeply into his major—biology—and began to take advantage of all VMI has to offer. In addition to his Corps and class leadership positions, he’s a cadet EMT and assistant cadet in charge of the Aviation Club. As a 3rd Class cadet, he was a cadre corporal for Company C, and last year, as a 2nd Class cadet, a cadre sergeant.

As his responsibilities have increased, Ankrah has begun to notice a change in himself. “The transformation from being a rat to 1st Class has been pretty dramatic,” he noted. “I would say one thing I’ve noticed is just confidence—confidence in myself. I feel like once you’ve known you’ve done hard things, it kind of just brings the strength in you that you could do anything that you set your mind to. ... And not just confidence, but I would just say social skills, being able to really interact with people.”

As he begins his 1st Class year, Ankrah is well aware of the responsibility he carries. “My brother rats of 2026 trusted me enough to lead them to whatever goal we may have,” he stated.

“So that on its own is just the biggest honor. I remember getting elected, and it was a pretty amazing feeling. It’s something you can’t really describe but just having so much love and so much support from your brother rats that they trust you to lead them—it’s amazing.”

Chief among Ankrah’s goals for his 1st Class year is ensuring that his class runs a well-disciplined Rat Line for the Rat Mass of 2026+3, and he plans to do so by emulating the model his class experienced when they were rats. “Something [the Class of 2023 president] did really well was bringing everyone together, no matter where we were from, from different backgrounds, from all different walks of life,” he noted.

Intangibles, too, are of concern to Ankrah—a unifying pride that comes from knowing you and others are doing the right things for the right reasons. “We need to make sure we’re instilling conduct within the Corps of Cadets so we can generally have that VMI spirit, and we can genuinely say, ‘I’m proud to go to VMI,’ and walk in integrity in everything we do.”

To run a successful Rat Line, Ankrah plans to draw on the fact that most rats want to do well. “The people who come to VMI, they’re already motivated, so it’s more just making sure you grab that part of them that’s motivated and wants to be here, and just hyping them up, motivating them,” he commented. “Being motivational—I’m a big fan of quotes and all that, so I try to use those as much as I can ... getting that warrior ethos out of them.”

He’s also planning to appreciate his last year on post. “This place has blessed me with so much, not just with my friends, not just with leadership opportunities, of course, but just being able to say that I go to VMI—having that pride that many alumni have come through and they’re successful in whatever field they’re in,” he said. “Whether it’s the civilian sector or the military, they’re doing well. I want to be part of that group. I want to be able to say that I took the hard route, and I did it to the best of my ability.”

On his first day of the Rat Line, Cadet Grant Rose ’26 learned that the VMI Honor Code is intrinsic to VMI. Back then, however, he couldn’t have imagined he would one day have the pivotal responsibility of leading its enforcement as Honor Court president.

Every part of Matriculation Week was an education on the Honor Code—yelling it during physical training, reciting it throughout the day, and meeting with Honor Court members. The effect was a foundation built in Rose and his brother rats. “Everything you’re doing, you’re screaming the Honor Code. From that point on, the first day you show up, you know the Honor Code. It’s something you begin to live by,” said Rose. As president, Rose’s goals for the Honor Court are foremost to educate the incoming Rat Mass of 2026+3 on the Honor Code and the spirit of it, just as he and his brother rats were educated. “We want the incoming Rat Mass to know what the Honor Code is, how to live by the Honor Code, and how to live within the spirit of the system—the spirit of the code itself.” The second major goal is to continue the education of the rest of the Corps, ensuring cadets are living and leading honorably.

Matriculating from Virginia Beach, Virginia, Rose had not heard of VMI until his brother, Luke Rose ’24, decided to attend. “He had a bunch of stories,” said Rose. “And he kept telling me I would only understand the stories if I went to VMI.” By the time it was Rose’s turn to choose a college, he was convinced of two things: He wanted to serve, and he wanted to see for himself what all of his brother’s stories were about. Raised in a military family with a rich history

Rose ’26: Honor Court President

By Mattie Montgomery, Assistant Editor

of service, including his father and eldest brother, Rose, too, felt called to serve his nation. He applied for and was awarded a 3-year U.S. Army ROTC scholarship and plans to commission after graduation.

This calling began with military service and naturally extended to leading in the Corps, eventually guiding him toward his current position. “VMI is unique in the leadership opportunities it has—everywhere you look around on post, there’s a leadership role that you could fulfill,” said Rose. He embraced every opportunity for growth as a person and as a future Army officer, serving as a Company I corporal his 3rd Class year, Company I first sergeant his 2nd Class year, and as Honor Court assistant prosecutor both years. Today, along with his position as Honor Court president, Rose is also the Company I commander.

Despite Rose’s full plate, he also found time for yet another area of leadership as the Cadet Investment Group president in the spring of his 2nd Class year. As an economics and business major, his penchant for investment and responsibility combined perfectly in the CIG, a cadet-led organization of approximately 30-40 members that makes real financial decisions regarding investments worth around $200,000 in total.

With his robust resume, it seems natural that Rose would be the leader for the job as Honor Court president, but he says being named in the running at all, much less as president, left him “shocked.” The role of Honor Court president means upholding the very foundation of the VMI system, and that weight of responsibility can be intimidating, but Rose manages it all

through the support of his brother rats and the leadership around him and through his committed belief in the honor system. “Being the Honor Court president is, of course, daunting, in a sense, but I couldn’t be more thankful for the team that I have behind me,” said Rose. Being part of a flourishing honor system and educating cadets about it energizes him. “This system is thriving, and people are always wanting to know what they’re allowed to do, what they’re not allowed to do, the rights and wrongs, and [they are] always asking questions about the system itself,” said Rose.

“All the little factors that go into the Honor Code: It’s not just words written on a page, but it’s an actual system that people live by. There’s a spirit behind it,” Rose elaborated. He values both the practical side of the Honor Code—like cadets being able to leave items unattended—and the personal growth that comes from living as accountable leaders. “The Honor Code is alive and well. People here and the cadets here live by the Honor Code; regardless of whether you wear rank, you’re a leader in the Corps,” said Rose. Looking back at his VMI experience going into his final year, Rose is grateful for significant personal growth during his time at the Institute and for the leader he will be after graduation. “I’ve changed a lot since I came to VMI; it’s pretty crazy to look back at myself when I was a rat,” Rose reflected. “Seeing how much I’ve grown as an individual and seeing how much my BRs have grown is awesome. It’s awesome to see that VMI is working, and the leadership opportunities do work to make people better leaders and better men and women of character.”

VMI Welcomes New Rat Mass

VMI’s Matriculation Day was held Aug. 16, 2025, marking the beginning of the Rat Line for the new academic year and the 186th year of the Institute.

The sweltering day began with a fair in Cocke Hall, where incoming cadets and their families met with VMI coaches and clubs, local churches, banks, restaurants, and other community organizations. Various other VMI agencies were also present, including the chaplain’s office, VMI police, and auxiliary services. In Cameron Hall, the rats were measured for their uniforms and issued their athletic wear. In the Corps Physical Training Facility, they completed admission paperwork, were given opportunities to meet and talk with department faculty members, and, as their last act as ordinary teenagers, signed the Matriculation Book, adding their names to the long list of all those who have come before them in committing to not doing ordinary.

In the afternoon, the Chaplain’s Prayer, an optional nondenominational prayer session for matriculants and their families, was held in Memorial Hall, followed by the superintendent’s welcome in Cameron Hall.

Brig. Gen. Dallas Clark ’99, then-acting VMI superintendent, welcomed the Rat Mass of 2026+3 and their families, telling them this would be a date they would always remember and thanking them for choosing an

By Marianne Hause, VMI Communications & Marketing

experience that would be formative in their development. “Embrace VMI’s Honor Code, internalize what it means to live an honorable life, [and] apply that principle in your life every day. You came to VMI to succeed. Work together, develop, and come together as a class. These are the beginning workings of the notorious VMI bonds. You are all now part of VMI,” said Clark. To the parents and guardians, Clark said, “You’ve entrusted us with your remarkable sons and daughters. We are honored. They have chosen to join us, and we are committed to helping them succeed.”

Col. Lawrence Havird ’90, VMI commandant, also addressed the rats. He told them they are taking on a unique challenge in their college experience, embracing hardship while finding the best version of themselves.

“The next month will be mentally and physically challenging for you. You will be tested like never before. You will, at times, feel isolated and alone in the Rat Line journey. ... Your brother rats are here to support you. Rally alongside to navigate this challenge together,” said Havird.

With cheers, applause, warm embraces, congratulatory pats on backs, and a few tears, the rats bid goodbye to their families and formed up with their companies for the first time. They then held up their right hands and took the Cadet Oath. Led by Cadet Devin Auzenne ’26, regimental commander, the rats marched from Cameron Hall onto Main Street, up

Letcher Avenue, through Marshall Arch, and into New Barracks, where they fell into formation.

As parents and other onlookers craned their necks to catch a glimpse past the guards and the iron pickets of the arch gates, the rats met their cadre.

This year’s Rat Mass totals 469 and comes from 33 states and six foreign countries, with 62% from Virginia and 38% from out of state. Seventy-five are female, and 143 are recruited NCAA athletes. Forty-seven percent have selected a major in STEM disciplines, and 53% are majoring in the liberal arts.

Grayson Talbott, Rat Mass of 2026+3, is following in the footsteps of his sister, Cadet Hayden Talbott ’27, and joining her in Band Company and on the track team. “We have always been close, so him joining me here will only increase that bond. He has a lot of people who will be looking out for him, and soon he will find where he fits at VMI. I’m excited to see firsthand the journey he will embark on. It is both the humbling and gratifying experiences that make the VMI journey what it is, and I hope he embraces every second of it,” she said.

Grayson, who will be a thrower on the track team and plans to play the bagpipes, feels blessed to be given the opportunity to join his sister. “Words cannot express my gratitude toward Coach Scott [Zack Scott ’89, director of cross country and track and field] for allowing me to continue my passion of throwing while learning from his knowledge and experience. As a member of the Pipe Band, I’ll get to learn to play a beautiful and world-renowned

instrument. I am excited for the challenges and development at VMI that will shape my future.”

Ryan Quesenberry, Rat Mass of 2026+3, is also a part of a VMI legacy. His brother, Andrew Quesenberry ’26, is a 1st Class cadet, and their father, Travis Quesenberry, is a Class of 1999 graduate. Andrew shared that having his brother join him on post is special, saying, “I know what challenges await him, and luckily, I’ll be here to support and help him through his rat year.” Both Ryan and Andrew spent their summer as volunteers at the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke, doing maintenance work on the Norfolk & Western Class J No. 611, the iconic steam locomotive built locally in 1950.

The matriculation process continued throughout the week with the cadre leading the rats in military drills and physical training, culminating with the Rat Crucible Aug. 24.

On Sept. 15, the Corps welcomed and met Lt. Gen. David J. Furness ’87, VMI’s 16th superintendent. The Rat Mass will officially become the Class of 2029 in the spring semester after Breakout.

RAT CRUCIBLE 2025

Matriculation Week culminated with Rat Crucible, which included training on the North Post, obstacles, and swimming in the Maury River to Jordan’s Point Aug. 24, 2025. The event concluded with a march up Letcher Avenue and the first Old Yell for the Rat Mass of 2026+3.

Adams ’26 Seeks Causes to Latin American Cultural Struggles

By Marianne Hause, VMI Communications & Marketing

Cadet Anna Grace Adams ’26, a history major minoring in Arabic at VMI, believes considering the points of view of peoples from different cultures is crucial when establishing policy or providing aid. Adams is interested in combatting the effects of drug and human trafficking originating out of the Latin American countries of Colombia, Peru, and Venezuela. To better understand the peoples of those countries and their cultures, Adams spent 5 weeks researching government documents and presidential correspondence between the United States and those countries for her Summer Undergraduate Research Institute project, “How did the American Perception of its Relationship with Latin American Nations Change Between 1919 and 1939?”

During the 1930s, President Franklin D. Roosevelt saw a need to improve relations with Latin American countries, so he initiated the Good Neighbor Policy, which emphasized cooperation, non-intervention, and mutual trade. Adams questioned the success of the program and wondered if it actually caused more harm than good, laying the foundation for the many problems currently plaguing the countries it was targeted to benefit. She shared that the topic is applicable to what she may be doing in the future. “I hope to work for Child Protective Services or Homeland Security. I feel a calling to it. With any problem, you first need to understand

the background. I want to better understand why the governments of these Latin American countries operate the way they do. I also want to understand the citizens’ points of view at the grassroots level and the environments in which they grew up. I will never be able to relate to them based on my personal experience. That is why I chose to research this topic,” said Adams.

Since most of the files she needed for her research have not yet been digitized and are unavailable on the internet, Adams traveled to College Park, Maryland, and spent 2 weeks at the National Archives and Records Administration searching for manuscripts, articles, and correspondence necessary for her research. “There are millions of documents there. It was kind of a big scavenger hunt. Classified documents were unavailable to me. Of the declassified I was able to view, I was given strict instructions on how to photograph or scan them. I scanned one document at a time using a scanner connected to my laptop,” explained Adams. “A lot of what I found—especially documents written during the Depression—the paper was so thin I could see through it, and the ink had faded so scanning was difficult. It was quite the process.”

Adams was surprised to discover many of the documents she had hoped would be available to her don’t exist at NARA. “They either were sent back to their country of origin or had stayed

in their countries’ respective national libraries. They haven’t been digitized, either. These are papers that were cited in some of my secondary sources which I spent spring semester reading. I was not planning on studying the American perspective of the Good Neighbor Policy because there’s so much scholarship already on that. I really wanted to look at the Colombian and Peruvian perspectives because not much research has been done on that. Now I know why. You can’t base an argument if you don’t have the evidence.” Adams admitted that frustrated her but conceded coming up against roadblocks is often part of the research process. “I’m just very grateful that I got to experience NARA as an undergrad. I was literally the youngest person in there by decades. Even the archivists told me the typical student conducting research there is in their last year of grad school or conducting work on their Ph.D.”

Adams’ faculty mentor, Col. Houston Johnson V, Ph.D., Department of History head, agreed the SURI grant provided Adams with a unique opportunity to travel to College Park to access archival materials held by NARA. “Her research into U.S.-Colombian relations has been tremendously enriched by her ability to look at original State Department records. It is extremely unusual for undergraduates to be able to conduct this type of research; I’m delighted Anna Grace has had the opportunity to have that experience and to locate valuable sources that will ground her honors thesis.”

Adams plans to present her paper at the VMI Undergraduate Research Symposium during spring semester and use it to lay the foundation for her Institute and departmental honors thesis. Adams is president of the Pi Alpha Theta history honor society; cadet assistant for the John A. Adams ’71 Center for Military History and Strategic Analysis; a triathlon club member; Army ROTC Blue Ridge Battalion executive officer; S7 captain for cadet life, responsible for general well-being and morale of the Corps of Cadets; and will commission into the Army following graduation. She is a graduate of St. Augustine School in Ridgeland, Mississippi, and the daughter of Erica and Gregory Adams of Brandon, Mississippi.

Cadets Embark on Offshore Sailing Adventure

By Marianne Hause, VMI Communications & Marketing

Four VMI cadets recently completed the U.S. Naval Academy’s Command and Seamanship Training Squadron, culminating with a 10-day offshore sailing training cruise to Oyster Bay, New York, aboard one of three Navy 44 training sailboats: The Fearless, the Invincible, and the Warrior. CSTS is a month-long program that includes classroom instruction on safety and navigation and hands-on learning on the Navy 44.

Upon embarking on the sailing trip, the cadets were fully integrated into crews that included experienced skippers and executive officers, USNA midshipmen, and U.S. Military Academy cadets, for a total of 10 people on each vessel.

Cmdr. Chip Barber, assistant commandant at VMI, was instrumental in offering the program to cadets. Barber served in the U.S. Navy for 24 years, including two tours at the USNA, where he was director of sailing. He developed and ran the CSTS for many years. “This is the fourth summer our cadets have been involved in the program,” said Barber. “They are carefully screened and are selected based on their grades and temperament. CSTS is the best Naval ROTC learning experience in the field. It is a life-changing event. These are not just a bunch of teenagers having fun; it is a meaningful leadership experience.”

Cadet Miikka Kritzer ’28, a mechanical engineering major from St. Petersburg, Florida, who plans on commissioning into the Navy, stated that the close quarters aboard the Invincible often got cramped.

“There were not enough bunks for everyone to sleep at the same time, so we ‘hot-bunked.’ While five people were on watch duty up on deck, the other five were catching as many ‘Zs’ as they could,” he said. In describing his favorite picture-perfect moment of the trip, Kritzer shared, “When we arrived in New York City, I had just woken up, climbed up on deck, and saw the city for the first time. It was breathtaking.”

Cadet Sophia Heinlein ’28, a civil engineering major from Fredericksburg, Virginia, agreed. “Sailing the Warrior to New York City was both a once-in-a-lifetime adventure and a test in discipline and leadership,” said Heinlein. “We worked together in tight spaces, and at times in

Cadet Adam Brinkley ’27 (right) stands watch with other crew members of the Warrior.—Photo courtesy Brinkley.

rough and stressful conditions. Still, the stressful moments made it all the more rewarding when we arrived in New York and sailed past Lady Liberty backed by a beautiful sunset. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in CSTS.”

Cadet Adam Brinkley ’27, an English major from Midlothian, Virginia, had wanted to learn to sail since he was 14 years old. “CSTS made that dream become a reality,” stated Brinkley. “The trip allowed me to grow as a leader by learning the importance of trusting your team and relying on them in times of need. My favorite part of the trip was toward the end when we anchored in the Sassafras River, and I spent one last day with my crewmates aboard the Warrior. In 4 short weeks, our crew of 10 went from complete strangers to an unstoppable team. Be-

cause of the motivation and dedication of each member, we won a mini sailing race against the Fearless and the Invincible.”

Retired U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Paul Brier ’81, who served as a sailing instructor and skipper of the Fearless, reflected on what an incredible opportunity the sailing program is for cadets. “This world-class opportunity for VMI cadets was made possible through the longstanding leadership of Chip Barber, who is considered an offshore sailing superstar,” said Brier. “I wish it had been available when I was a cadet. I’m very proud of how the cadets conducted themselves and rose to the challenges of the intense work that is involved in sailing. They forged friendships with people they may not have otherwise met and developed leadership skills that will last a lifetime.”

Women’s Track & Field named USTFCCCA All-Academic Team

The VMI women’s track and field team was one of 222 schools nationwide to be recognized as a U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-Academic program for the 2024–25 academic year July 21, 2025.

To receive USTFCCCA All-Academic status as a team, the program must achieve a 3.0 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale for all student-athletes on the institution’s NCAA squad list for indoor and/or outdoor track and field.

The Keydets earned the status with a 3.03 team GPA for the 2024–25 school year.

“Our women’s team has come a long way over the past 2 years, and this progress would

not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of Bridget Shanks and her Cadet-Athlete Development Office, as well as Coach Williams [’83] and Coach Wisecarver for identifying and bringing in the right women to elevate our program,” said Zack Scott ’89, VMI director of cross country and track and field. “Thank you for your continued commitment to building something special.”

VMI also had a successful year athletically with multiple All-Conference honorees at the 2025 Indoor and Outdoor SoCon Championships and the majority of the team setting new personal records in their respective events.

The VMI women’s track and field team was named to the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association’s All-Academic Team for the 2024–25 academic year—one of 222 programs nationwide to earn the honor.—Photo courtesy VMI Athletics.

The United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association awarded the VMI lacrosse team All-Academic honors for their impressive 3.2 team GPA for the 2024–25 academic year.—Photo courtesy VMI Athletics.

Lacrosse Receives

USILA Team All-Academic Status

One of VMI’s top academic performing teams every year, the VMI lacrosse team received Team All-Academic honors from the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association June 29, 2025.

In order to achieve the status, the program must hold a team cumulative GPA of 3.0, which the Keydets surpassed with an impressive 3.2 team GPA for the 2024–25 academic year.

The Keydets are one of just 34 NCAA Division I programs to achieve the team academic award and one of only two teams from the Northeast Conference to attain the recognition.

The Keydets are coming off their best season in 37 years after achieving 10 wins this past season, the second-highest

number in program history, which dates back to 1983. USILA also gave VMI Top 20 votes for the first time since 1992, after the Keydets wrapped up their season in late April.

Finishing the regular season as the No. 2-ranked scoring offense in the NCAA, the Keydets registered 205 goals on the season to set a new program benchmark for goals in a single season, besting the previous mark of 198 goals.

James Boynewicz ’25 was one of two VMI cadet-athletes to receive a prestigious Southern Conference Postgraduate Scholarship. Last month, four Keydets (Boynewicz, Chris Golini ’25, Simon Moore ’25, and Dayton Bagwell ’27) earned the prominent academic award of being named College Sports Communicators Academic All-District recipients.

VMI Rifle awarded $75,000 Grant by Midway Foundation

Thanks to a $75,000 grant from the Midway Foundation, the VMI rifle program will be getting a major facility upgrade in the coming months.

Keydet staff and personnel, including Lt. Col. Bill Bither, head coach, helped put together a proposal that was ultimately approved. The grant application process was started in February 2024 after Bither and others met with Doug McClure, regional Midway USA representative.

The money will be used toward facility upgrades at the program’s current shooting facility, Kilbourne Hall, including an upgrade of the electronic target system.

The VMI rifle program began its endowment with Midway over 30 years ago and has seen it grow to over $65,000. Annual grants from the Midway Foundation help VMI rifle receive $3,200 for its annual operational budget.

The Midway Foundation is one of the largest contributors to youth recreational shooting clubs and teams across the nation. To learn more about the Midway Foundation and its grants, visit midwayfoundation.org.

VMI Swim and Dive earns CSCAA Scholar All-American recognition

The College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America announced its spring 2025 Scholar All-America Teams, awarding both VMI men’s and women’s squads July 8, 2025.

To be eligible, teams must hold a GPA of 3.0 or higher during the spring 2025 semester.

“These teams exemplify what it means to be true student-athletes. Their dedication to academic excellence, alongside their athletic commitments, is both impressive and inspiring,” said Samantha Barany, CSCAA executive director.

The recognition from the CSCAA follows another strong season under Scott Thacker, head coach, who led the VMI men to their first winning season since 2021 and the women’s side to their first Division I win since 2014.

VMI men’s and women’s squads made the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America’s spring 2025 Scholar All-America Teams July 8, 2025.—Photos courtesy VMI Athletics.

Socon 2025-26 Basketball Schedule

The Southern Conference released the 2025–26 men’s basketball league schedule Aug. 12, 2025, as VMI prepares for an exciting season on the hardwood.

The Keydets begin conference play at home with two consecutive games at Cameron Hall New Year’s Day and Jan. 3, 2026, against Samford University and University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, respectively. The following week, the Keydets hit the road to face East Tennessee State University Jan. 7 and Furman University Jan. 10.

From Jan. 15–21, VMI will host three straight games beginning with Mercer University Jan. 15 before facing rival The Citadel Jan. 17 and closing with the University of North Carolina at Greensboro Jan. 21.

Continuing the pattern, the Keydets will then be on the road for three straight contests from Jan. 24–31, beginning with Western Carolina University before taking on The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina, and playing at Mercer Jan. 31 in Macon, Georgia.

The month of February brings Wofford College to town Feb. 4, followed by a visit from ETSU Saturday, Feb. 7. VMI will travel to Greensboro, North Carolina, Feb. 11 to face UNCG before returning home for a Valentine’s Day meeting with Furman.

Only 2 weeks removed from hosting Wofford, VMI then travels to Spartanburg for a return visit with the Terriers Feb. 18 before hosting Western Carolina Feb. 21.

VMI concludes the regular season on the road Feb. 26–28 at Samford and Chattanooga, closing the league slate against the two schools it began league play against in January.

The 2026 Ingles Southern Conference Basketball Tournament will take place March 5–9 at Harrah’s Cherokee Center in Asheville, North Carolina, where VMI will again look to make a deep run into the conference tournament after making it to the semifinals in 2025.

Tip-off times for all league games will be announced at a later date.

Nov. 3 (Monday)

Nov. 7 (Friday)

Nov. 9 (Sunday)

Nov. 12 (Wednesday)

Nov. 15 (Saturday)

Nov. 19 (Wednesday)

Nov. 22 (Saturday)

Nov. 24 (Monday)

Nov. 26 (Wednesday)

Nov. 29 (Saturday)

Dec. 5 (Friday)

Dec. 9 (Tuesday)

Dec. 21 (Sunday)

Jan. 1 (Thursday)

Jan. 3 (Saturday)

Jan. 7 (Wednesday)

Jan. 10 (Saturday)

Jan. 15 (Thursday)

Jan. 17 (Saturday)

Jan. 21 (Wednesday)

Jan. 24 (Saturday)

Jan. 29 (Thursday)

Jan. 31 (Saturday)

Feb. 4 (Wednesday)

Feb. 7 (Saturday)

Feb. 11 (Wednesday)

Feb. 14 (Saturday)

Feb. 18 (Wednesday)

Feb. 21 (Saturday)

Feb. 26 (Thursday)

Feb. 28 (Saturday)

March 5 (Thursday)

Johnson & Wales (N.C.)

Southern Indiana

Missouri

VA Univ. of Lynchburg

Jacksonville

Richmond

Stetson

Buffalo

Bowling Green State

UCF

Christendom

Loyola (MD)

Radford

Samford* Chattanooga* ETSU* Furman* Mercer* The Citadel* UNCG* Western Carolina* The Citadel* Mercer* Wofford* ETSU* UNCG* Furman* Wofford* Western Carolina* Samford*

Chattanooga*

SoCon Tournament*

Lexington, VA

Evansville, IN

Columbia, MO

Lexington, VA

Lexington, VA

Richmond, VA

DeLand, FL

Fort Myers, FL

Fort Myers, FL

Orlando, FL

Lexington, VA

Lexington, VA

Radford, VA

* Denotes conference game

Lexington, VA

Lexington, VA

Johnson City, TN

Greenville, SC

Lexington, VA

Lexington, VA

Lexington, VA

Cullowhee, NC

Charleston, SC

Macon, GA

Lexington, VA

Lexington, VA

Greensboro, NC

Lexington, VA

Spartanburg, SC

Lexington, VA

Birmingham, AL

Chattanooga, TN

Asheville, NC

2025 Keydet Club Leadership Outing

More than 175 VMI alumni and friends came to Lexington for the Keydet Club 2025 Jeffrey Morgan ’80 Leadership Outing in recognition of their exceptional support to VMI athletics June 6, 2025.

After a sunny morning of golf at the Lexington Golf & Country Club, followed by sporting clays at the Quail Ridge Sporting Club, guests headed to Moody Hall for dinner and fellowship. At the dinner, Danny Thornton ’78 was celebrated for his unwavering commitment as outgoing Keydet Club Board of Governors president. He received recognition from Kelly Sweppenhiser ’06, incoming Keydet Club president, and was honored with the prestigious Bill Paulette ’69 Outstanding Governor Award for his exceptional service.

Greg Cavallero ’84, former Keydet Club chief executive officer and senior major gift officer, was also honored that evening with a resolution of appreciation recognizing his steadfast support of the Keydet Club and VMI Alumni Agencies. Guests also had a chance to meet with coaches and leadership, including Danny Rocco, head football coach.

Each year, the annual leadership outing sparks a spirited day where VMI alumni and friends come together, united by their shared love for the Institute.“The Leadership Outing is always a special time for the Keydet Club, providing an opportunity to express appreciation for our most generous supporters. It is a time of fellowship—one that continues to strengthen the bond of our supporters,” said Andrew Deal ’12, Keydet Club chief operating officer and Alumni Agencies chief development officer.

Arkansas Chapter

New Market Gathering

Arkansas Chapter members gathering for New Market Day in Little Rock, Arkansas, May 15, 2025, are (from left) Kurt Armbrust ’76, Bob Vidrick ’78, Biff Beale ’91, T.R. Bandy ’62, Ted Goodloe ’65, and Al Robinson ’77.

Central North Carolina –Raleigh Chapter Gathering

Central North Carolina – Raleigh Chapter members gathering for a talk by author Lynn Seldon ’83 May 15, 2025, are (seated, from left) Lisa Brown, Debbie Seipp, Suzanne Hening, Mary Fran Parkman, Dorris Gibson, (standing, first row) Seldon, Cele Seldon, Kirk Hubbard ’57, Harry Seipp ’78, Rick Hening ’75, John Kuchnia ’57, Paul Johnston ’61, Parky Parkman ’66, Owen Dunlap ’83, Bill Gibson ’65, Thomas Struckmeyer ’87, Cory McCallum ’94, (back row) Jim Brown ’76, Will Bynum III ’77, Samuel Butler ’92, and Luke Hale ’00.

Centex Chapter New Market Social

Centex Chapter members enjoying a New Market Day social May 18, 2025, in Austin, Texas, are (from left) Jim Barnes ’72, Vince Carag ’86, Jace Thompson ’24, Abby Soyars ’24, Chase Lane ’24, and Bob Waldron ’68.

Central North Carolina – Raleigh Chapter Hosts June Senior Breakfast

Central North Carolina – Raleigh Chapter members enjoying a senior breakfast and celebrating the 99th birthday of Roger Rosenfield ’47 June 17, 2025, are (standing, from left) Kirk Hubbard ’57; Bill Murchison ’70; Ashton, grandson of Rick Hening ’75; Hening; Will Bynum ’77; Jonathan Safrit ’10; Braxton, Safrit’s son; John Ehrenberger ’84; (seated) Bill Gibson ’65; Paul Johnston ’61; Chip Davis ’77; Jerry Hughston ’66; Larry Wilson ’62; Parky Parkman ’66; Rosenfield; and Bo Winn, Rosenfield’s son-in-law.

Central North Carolina –Raleigh Chapter Hosts May Senior Breakfast

Enjoying the Central North Carolina – Raleigh Chapter senior breakfast May 20, 2025, are (seated, from left) Bill Murchison ’70, Bill Gibson ’65, Michael Ernzen ’74, Larry Wilson ’62, Roger Rosenfield ’47, Paul Johnston ’61, (standing) John Kuchnia ’57, Pete Shelley ’74, Alan Tashima ’71, Rick Hening ’75, Jim Brown ’76, and Kirk Hubbard ’57.

Central North Carolina –Raleigh Chapter Hosts Rat Send-Off

The Central North Carolina – Raleigh Chapter hosts a summer gathering and rat send-off July 12, 2025. Joining the chapter members are Matthew Harris, Jacob McFarland, and Ben Eckman, incoming cadets.

Central North Carolina – Raleigh Chapter July Senior Breakfast

Gathering for the Central North Carolina – Raleigh Chapter senior breakfast July 15, 2025, are (from left) Jerry Hughston ’66, Bill Murchison ’70, Pete Shelley ’74, Parky Parkman ’66, Paul Johnston ’61, Larry Wilson ’62, Roger Rosenfield ’47, Jim Brown ’76, Barton Pasco ’77, and Rick Hening ’75.

Chicago Chapter Rat Send-Off

Attending the Chicago Chapter rat send-off July 19, 2025, are Peter Chapin ’17; Gordon Williams ’70; John Mundt ’06; Olivia Cushman, incoming cadet; Zach Holland ’17; Cadet Trygve Bloom ’27; Sam McKee ’25; Kerry McKee; Kai McCarthy; Talia Cushman; and Jon Cushman.

Coastal South Carolina –Charleston Chapter Hosts New Market Gathering

Coastal South Carolina – Charleston Chapter members gathering to remember New Market Day May 17, 2025, are (from left) John Runyon ’80, Robert Polk ’61, Max Hopkins ’97, Jerome Brinkley ’84, Chelsea (Nugent) Murray ’11, and Mike Arendt ’96.

D.C. Metro Region Nationals Game

Joining the D.C. Metro Region for a night watching the Nationals game at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., July 6, 2025, are (from left) Tim Craul ’83, Chip Shirley ’83, and Steve Amato ’83.

Michigan Chapter Rat Send-Off

Michigan Chapter members and incoming cadets gathering at a rat send-off July 26, 2025, are (from left) Matthew Hart ’99, VMI Alumni Association senior director of alumni programs; Cadet Hayden Barrett ’27; Fred DeRose ’12; Tom Hathaway ’72; John Cooper ’83; Theo Ley, incoming cadet; Mr. Steward; Coleman Feller ’75; Mark Benvenuto ’83; Natalie Steward, incoming cadet; David Hagemann ’80; and Mr. Barrett.

Northeast Florida –Jacksonville Chapter Trivia Night

Northeast Florida – Jacksonville Chapter members gathering for the 2025 Virginia Schools Trivia Night at Jacksonville Golf & Country Club July 24, 2025, are (from left) Mark Bristol ’88, George Robbins ’62, Duke Addison ’82, Penny Addison, Jason Goldstein ’02, Christian Addison ’14, and Beth Robbins.

North Jersey Chapter Rat Send-Off

Gathering at the North Jersey Chapter rat sendoff July 30, 2025, are (from left) Rick Wolffe ’78; Ned Riester ’78; Cadet Lucie Ashmore ’27; Ben Ashmore ’21; Oscar Alfaro ’01; Mike Mezzacca ’89; Steven Fucal, incoming cadet; Zachary Barden, incoming cadet; Eric Yoo, incoming cadet; Evan Rollins, incoming cadet; John Stockleberg, incoming cadet; Andy Tunnard ’89; Kevin Sincavage ’87; Cadet Lucas Zarella ’27; Paul Belmont ’00; and Ken Kalisky ’73.

Midlands South Carolina –Palmetto Chapter Picnic

Attending the Midlands South Carolina – Palmetto Chapter picnic June 21, 2025, are Bret Trahan ’22; Marci Eddy; Grant Eddy ’99; Carl Hammond ’00; Chris Eversmann ’83; Rachael Hammond; Jill Eversmann; Ann Snapp, widow of Wendell Snapp ’54; Lannie Stinnette; Wade Stinnette ’80; Larry Umberger ’65; Max Hopkins ’97; Rosemary Wolfe; Cadet Connor Wolfe ’26; Fi Umberger; and Andy Wolfe.

Midlands South Carolina –Palmetto Chapter Rat Send-Off

Enjoying a meal at the Midlands South Carolina –Palmetto Chapter rat send-off July 26, 2025, are (from left) Marie Woody; Sophia Woody, The Citadel class of 2025; Keith, uncle of Cadet Chloe Woody ’27; Carl Hammond ’00; Katie Curtis ’21; Cole Curtis ’21; Chloe; L’amont Woody, Chloe’s dad; Doug Marks ’69; Mike Talley ’66; Lindsay Agostini; Jim Agostini ’86; and Grey Farthing ’79.

Rocket City Chapter New Market Remembrance

Rocket City Chapter members observe New Market Day by meeting at Veterans Memorial Park and enjoying a lunch in Huntsville, Alabama, May 16, 2025. Pictured attending are (from left) Dan McClintock ’89, Greg Simpson ’86, Chris Simpson ’01, Mark Turner ’97, Joseph Prinzinger ’08, Mike Guthrie ’77, Paul Wagner ’66, and Kurt Weidenthal ’77.

Rappahannock Chapter Social

Rappahannock Chapter members (from left) Dan Robinson ’91, Henry Moncure ’74, Reg Ridgely ’81, David Walsh ’90, Scott Horan ’83, and Quintin Elliot ’85 enjoy a social with family and friends at Camp Irvington in Irvington, Virginia, May 3, 2025.

Rocky Mountain Chapter New Market Day Gathering

Attending the Rocky Mountain Chapter New Market Day gathering at Law’s Chophouse in Westminster, Colorado, May 15, 2025, are Ollie Hux ’54, Kevin Fromm ’01, Dawn Kratzenberg, Dana Daly ’07, Mayling Simpson, Dean Kratzenberg ’87, Marshall Coyle ’76, Paul Hebert ’68, Weston Reber ’13, Gardner Reber, Henry Ehrgott ’98, and Byron Walker ’65.

San Diego Chapter Social

San Diego Chapter members enjoy a social at Harland Brewing Company May 17, 2025.

Southeast Texas – Houston Chapter Rat Send-Off

Attending the Southeast Texas – Houston Chapter rat send-off for incoming cadets in Houston, Texas, July 26, 2025, are (from left) John Griffin ’23; Justin Tammelin ’09, VMI Alumni Association director of alumni networking; Michael Peacock ’94; Emma McKellar ’20; Veronica Davis ’12; Andrew Conville ’90; Rody Grant ’94; Jeb Cox ’00; J.P. Bruchalski ’15; Gabriella Falcon, incoming cadet; John Ginder ’04; Greg Bosley ’00; Jim Neikirk ’71; Soraya Sar, incoming cadet; Cameron Miller, incoming cadet; Bill Ginder ’71; Manuel Caballero ’07; Lakin Board ’04; Bob Poland ’67; Aiden Questel, incoming cadet; Cadet Nathaniel Peacock ’28; and Martin Gu, incoming cadet.

Southwest Florida – Fort Myers Chapter Dinner

Southwest Florida – Fort Myers Chapter members gathering for dinner in Bonita Springs, Florida, May 17, 2025, are (from left) Hill Browning ’61, Heather Browning, Bob Benham ’72, Jackson Todd ’06, Bill Bird ’81, Jeff Adler ’81, Don Rishell ’62, Jack Barnhill ’78, Ann Rishell, Sherrel Cavedo, John Cavedo ’64, and Rick Katorincek ’55.

Upstate South Carolina – Pisgah, North Carolina Chapter Rat Send-Off

Upstate South Carolina – Pisgah, North Carolina Chapter members gather for a rat send-off in Greenville, South Carolina, July 29, 2025.

Utah Chapter New Market Social

Utah Chapter members enjoying a New Market Day social May 15, 2025, are (from left) Nate Zand ’11, Kyle Nweeia ’10, Mark Sculley ’76, Lincoln Clark ’04, Jordan Clark ’98, Brandon Baca ’89, and Janek Wierzbicki ’03. Present but not pictured is Joe Paustenbaugh ’80.

Valley Chapter New Market Dinner

More than 40 Valley Chapter members and guests met for a New Market dinner and after-dinner talk by Margaretta Barton Colt, author of “Defend the Valley: A Shenandoah Family in the Civil War,” at the Virginia Museum of the Civil War at the New Market Battlefield May 3, 2025.

Valley Chapter Rat Send-Off

Gathering for the Valley Chapter rat send-off at the Cracked Pillar Pub in Bridgewater, Virginia, July 30, 2025, are (front row, from left) Don Bowers ’90; Chad Brown ’73; Cameron Seay ’70; Laura and Matt Shiley ’94; Scott Simons; Kelly Simons; Dawson Simons, incoming cadet; Kiele Neil, incoming cadet; Dawn Neil; Mary Seay; (second row) Cadet Jordan Marchini ’27; Thomas Hannon ’24; Chris Neil; Josiah Neil; Mary Reese; Justin Tammelin ’09, VMI Alumni Association director of alumni networking; Chris Nott; (third row) Derrick Bodkin ’02; and Patrick Nott ’20. Present but not pictured are Wendy Weston and Meg and Georgia Tammelin.

The Villages Chapter New Market Dinner

The Villages Chapter members enjoy a New Market Day dinner in The Villages, Florida, May 15, 2025.

Williamsburg Chapter

Senior Lunch

The Williamsburg Chapter hosts a senior alumni lunch with Col. Travis Homiak ’95, VMI chief of staff, serving as guest speaker May 22, 2025.

VMI Board of Visitors Seeks Nominations

The VMI Board of Visitors has created a committee to select the next recipient of the Jonathan Myrick Daniels ’61 Humanitarian Award. The award emphasizes the virtue of humanitarian public service and recognizes individuals who have made significant personal sacrifices to protect or improve the lives of others. The award affords cadets a continuing reminder that it is possible to embody and display heroic qualities of honor, loyalty, and devotion at any age and in any circumstances.

The committee is currently accepting nominations for possible award recipients. Please send nominations to BOVSecretary@vmi.edu no later than Dec. 15, 2025.

Nominations should include the name of the individual, contact information (if available), and a short summary of why you think the individual meets the award qualifications above. The award will be presented at the discretion of the VMI Board of Visitors, and as a condition of the award, the nominee must be willing to come to VMI to accept the award. Any questions may be directed to the BOV secretary at the email above.

Wilmington, North Carolina Chapter Old Corps Breakfast

Enjoying the Wilmington, North Carolina Chapter Old Corps breakfast June 10, 2025,

Generosity and Commitment Propel Fiscal Year 2025 Results

By Mary Price, Development Writer

Continuing their decades-long tradition of providing substantial support for the Institute and the Corps of Cadets, members of the VMI family provided almost $25 million in total gifts and commitments in Fiscal Year 2025.

Of that amount, $13.9 million was in the form of cash gifts, with the remainder coming from new pledges ($6.7 million) and estate and planned giving ($4.3 million). All gifts help to secure an ever-brighter future for the Institute and the Corps of Cadets.

Alumni giving played a huge role in sustaining that support in FY25. Thanks to the generosity of the 10th, 25th, and 50th Reunion classes, $8,028,342 was raised from reunion giving in cash gifts and future pledges. The Institute’s average graduate participation rate in fundraising was 19.43%, and 46 classes had a participation rate higher than that. Seventeen classes had 40% or more participation.

Online crowdfunding campaigns, more commonly known as days of giving, were also solid contributors to the success of FY25. With the support of 1,019 donors, VMI’s Day of Giving brought in $296,176 in November 2024. Funds raised from the Day of Giving were allocated to help VMI achieve the five goals outlined in the Institute’s new strategic plan, Forging 21st Century Leaders: Prepare exceptional leaders, enhance academic excellence, foster esprit de corps, recruit top cadets and boost success, and deliver 21st century facilities.

Likewise, members of the VMI family showed their strong support for cadet-athletes through Compete to Win, the VMI Keydet Club’s fourth annual crowdfunding campaign. Raising $369,512 from 756 donors, the 3-day event set a record for both donors and dollars in March 2025. Of those donors, 174 were making their first gifts to the Keydet Club.

Outside of Compete to Win, donor generosity to VMI athletics continued at an impressive pace. The Keydet Club raised $9,264,995 from 2,184 donors in FY25, marking the second consecutive year of an increase in donors.

In all facets of the cadet experience, donor support creates opportunities that would otherwise not be possible—and the Call to Duty Scholarships are a perfect example of this. Deemed a game changer for VMI by the Office of Financial Aid, these scholarships provide room and board for cadets already receiving federal ROTC scholarships, and in a competitive admissions environment, they often play a key role in helping future cadets choose VMI over other schools. With the strong support of members of the VMI family, $942,525 was provided in FY25 toward these much-coveted scholarships, and just under 100 well-qualified cadets—all of whom are already set on a path of national service—benefited from them during the 2024–25 academic year.

The sustained generosity of the VMI family has a powerful impact on the Corps of Cadets and the VMI mission. In FY25, donor support allowed the VMI Alumni Agencies to provide the Institute with $33.5 million.

Endowment growth continued on a solid pace throughout FY25, thanks to the investment management team’s careful attention to fiduciary duty, with a consistent focus on both maximizing returns and preserving capital. As of June 30, the value of the endowment stood at $805.3 million, with growth of $69.4 million.

None of this would be possible without the ongoing and dedicated support of the VMI family. This exemplary level of dedication and commitment is a testament to the collective power of philanthropy and the wise stewardship of resources.

Members of the Rat Mass of 2026+3 form up into companies and march as a unit for the first time Aug. 16, 2025.

MILLER ’70: Protect that Legacy ”

By Mary Price, Development Writer

When David Miller ’70 came to VMI from his native Pennsylvania, he’d only been to Virginia twice, and he’d never laid eyes on the Institute until Matriculation Day. Graduating from high school at only 17 years old, Miller knew that a structured environment would suit him best, and so he’d been searching for a military college.

Miller was also seeking an education at a price point that would fit his family’s budget, and as the eldest of four children, he was aware that his parents’ resources would be spread thin in the years to come. Once the expense of uniforms was paid—cadets were required to purchase their uniforms back then—VMI was an affordable option.

Four years later, Miller graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics, friendships forged through the Rat Line, and a set of precepts that would shape the rest of his life. Today, Miller is a retired healthcare executive and former member of the VMI Board of Visitors who makes philanthropy toward the Institute one of his highest priorities.

For Miller, supporting VMI financially is the least he can do for an institution that did so much for him, especially in the area of building relationships with others. “The first lesson I learned at VMI was that relationships are paramount to success,” he noted.

As an economics major, Miller developed close relationships with the faculty in that department, and he fondly recalls his “superb mentor,” Col. Alexander Morrison, Class of 1939, Ph.D. and longtime department chair. “He truly tried to get us to understand the basic tenets of economics,” said Miller of Morrison. “And he was always very jovial.”

Miller also recounted how Morrison was a “fine gentleman” and a steady presence on post, walking to class every day with his golden retriever. After Miller graduated, he kept in touch with Morrison, and the mentorship that had begun in Scott Shipp Hall deepened into a friendship, with Miller visiting Morrison and his wife, Jo, at their home on the banks of the South River near Lexington. “It’s easy to forget your professors, but I would just enjoy that hour or so visiting with him. His wife liked flowers, and I tried to bring her a nice arrangement of some sort every time I went there. They were just very, very dear people,” Miller stated. Relationships with brother rats, too, deepened and enriched Miller’s VMI experience. From the first week on post, he bonded immediately with his roommates, including John Ludt ’70, a member of the Keydet football team, and Paul Dickinson ’70, a tennis player. “I had good roommates, and we stuck together for the entire 4 years,” Miller noted. “They

were both athletes. I was not, and so I got exposed quite early to what a difficult time athletes have at VMI because they balance the academics, the military, the class system, and then they have to play their sports.”

As a rat, Miller learned from J.I. Orrison ’67, his dyke and also a football player, and it was Orrison who helped Miller secure a position as a member of the hop and floor committee. Relationships with peers were also behind Miller’s selection as one of the representatives of his class on the Honor Court in his 1st Class year, and today he recalls with humility the trust his brother rats placed in him.

Miller even saw the importance of relationships off post

“Had I not had the experience at VMI of managing 10 or 20 different things every single day, I’m not sure I would have succeeded …”

when he went into downtown Lexington to shop, eat out, or attend services at Lexington Presbyterian Church. “There was the respect that was shown to you when you went into a store, when you went into a restaurant,” he recalled. “And I realized that VMI and [Washington and Lee University] were integral to the success of the economy in Lexington, but it just felt to me ... this community really likes the cadets at VMI.”

At graduation, Miller got a deferment from the U.S. Air Force and enrolled in graduate school at the University of Virginia, where he would earn a Master of Business Administration degree. He’d done well academically at VMI, but his class at UVA was filled with graduates of Ivy League schools, and the atmosphere was intimidating, with the schedule built around classes 5 days a week, study sessions each evening, and quizzes or papers due each Saturday. “[Ned Haley ’70] and I were the two from this little military school, but it didn’t take long for us to figure out that our experience at VMI really prepared us,” said Miller. “Had I not had the experience at VMI of managing 10 or 20 different things every single day, I’m not sure that I would have succeeded at UVA,” he continued. “That foundational structure at VMI was just critical.”

His VMI connections were also instrumental in helping him find a path into the field that would be his life’s work. Miller was looking for a summer job right after his VMI graduation, and his best friend, Peel Dillard ’70, just happened to have a cousin who worked in healthcare administration in Richmond, Virginia. That summer, Miller accepted a position at St. Luke’s Hospital in Richmond, and it was there that he also met the woman who would become his wife of 50 years, as Helen Bowles was an operating room nurse at St. Luke’s.

Over time, Miller built his career through the precepts he’d learned at VMI about honesty, forging relationships, and the importance of treating others with kindness and respect. In 2016, Miller retired as president and chief operating officer of Community Healthcare Systems in Franklin, Tennessee, a New York Stock Exchange-listed company. At his retirement, CHS operated approximately 200 hospitals with over 135,000 employees.

In 2015, after a surprise phone call from Pete Ramsey ’72, Miller began his service on the VMI Board of Visitors, a position he calls “the honor of a lifetime.” As a member of the board, Miller quickly learned that VMI was just as complex an operation as the hospital system he worked for. Serving on the Appeals Committee, the Finance Committee, and the Executive Committee, Miller came to appreciate all that goes into maintaining and advancing the Institute’s status as one of the nation’s highly regarded senior military colleges.

In recognition and gratitude for all he’d gained, Miller began giving back to the Institute soon after graduation, first by supporting the Foundation and then broadening his support to include the Keydet Club. On the academic side, he and Helen established the Alexander H. Morrison 1939 Professorship in Economics and Business, which is currently held by Col. Tinni Sen, Ph.D.

In support of VMI athletics, Miller endowed a scholarship for female cadet-athletes in memory of his wife, who died in 2022. “There’s the old adage—behind every good man is a good woman—and my wife was so supportive of everything I did at VMI, especially my time on the board,” said Miller. “I was looking for a way to honor and memorialize what she had done. If we’re going to be serious about women’s sports at VMI, I want to do what I can to help our women succeed.”

In addition, Miller has donated to the General J.H. Binford Peay III 1962 Endowment for Academic Excellence in Helen’s honor and contributed to name the memorial garden at the forthcoming VMI Center for Advancement in her memory.

Most recently, Miller has revised his estate plans to include the Institute in his will. For him, it’s the right thing to do for a place that taught him the importance of doing the right thing. “VMI has a superb reputation,” he stated, “obviously in the Commonwealth, but also outside the Commonwealth. And I think all of us who are graduates who have benefited from the VMI experience should be obligated to protect that legacy.”

Greenspon Brothers Give Back through Lacrosse Scholarship

Greenspon ’91 (left) and his brother, Tom Greenspon ’85, both

of

By Mary Price, Development Writer

In athletics, attention naturally flows to the victorious team or athlete—and rightly so. But success is rarely—if ever—achieved alone, and behind the scenes are usually a number of individuals making that moment of glory possible. For young athletes especially, there’s almost always a dedicated, loving parent or two standing on the sidelines. Come rain, cold, wind, or the oppressive heat of the sun, those parents will remain at the game no matter how long the contest drags on or what the outcome might be.

That was the case for brothers Tom Greenspon ’85 and Jon Greenspon ’91—and in recognition and appreciation of all their father, in particular, did for them, the Greenspon brothers established the Walter W. Greenspon (P ’85, P ’91) Family Lacrosse Scholarship in 2022.

Matriculating from Charlottesville, Virginia, both brothers played on VMI’s NCAA lacrosse team, and both earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in English. As the elder brother, Tom found VMI first when he realized he wanted a challenging and unique college experience coupled with the opportunity to commission into the military. “I had some older friends from high school who were at

VMI,” he recalled. “And there’s just something about [VMI]—a very compelling draw and challenge.”

Active in a variety of sports from an early age, the brothers fondly recall their father’s steadfast support of all their athletic endeavors. “I want to say that both our parents, mom and dad, but especially dad, were real supporters of whatever we got into and whatever we were trying to do,” Tom recalled. “[Dad] never played lacrosse. However, he grew to really understand and appreciate ‘the fastest game on two feet,’ and nothing made him happier than watching us compete and enjoy the lifelong friendships we developed with teammates, coaches, and more than a few opponents.”

Jon remembers that although the family budget was limited, he and Tom always had the gear they needed to be successful. “We had a very modest upbringing,” he stated. “But if you walked into the basement of our house in Charlottesville, it was loaded with balls and bats and hockey sticks and tennis rackets and footballs and golf clubs. If there was anything related to athletics, dad would stress himself to be able to buy it or go out and find it somewhere.”

Not surprisingly, Walter and Judy Greenspon arranged their

schedules so they could show up almost every time their sons took to the field.

“My mom and dad traveled to all our high school games,” said Tom. “They then came to almost every one of our home VMI games. And [dad] held VMI in such high esteem. ... He was a U.S. Air Force veteran, and he really liked the pomp and circumstance of coming over to watch a parade. They’d drive over the mountain to watch the game, and then we’d go picnic out on the Blue Ridge Parkway. They bonded with the other lacrosse parents and were just genuinely supportive.”

After Walter’s death in 2014, his sons began to think of ways to honor his memory. Soon, it became clear that support for a lacrosse cadet-athlete would be the ideal way to do this, and with the assistance of Doug Bartlett, a former VMI lacrosse coach then serving as VMI Keydet Club vice president, the Greenspon Family Lacrosse Scholarship took shape. “In addition to helping the [lacrosse] program and giving back to VMI, we wanted to keep [our father’s] name and our family’s name connected with the program for generations to come,” Tom explained. In recognition and gratitude for all that the Institute did for them, both brothers make supporting VMI financially a high priority. “I feel like VMI did a lot for me as far as helping me to have a positive outlook on the world, and I’ve seen the dividend that it’s paid in my own life, in some of the various jobs I’ve had, and in other areas, friendships I’ve made and those kinds of things,” said Jon, who became a teacher and coach at Fork Union Military Academy in Fluvanna County, Virginia. “I definitely want to keep that investment in lacrosse because lacrosse, in particular, is one of those things at VMI that remains very special to me,” he added. Like his brother, Tom reflects on his cadetship with appreciation for the opportunities that prepared him for success in later life, including serving as an editor of The Cadet in his 1st Class year and as captain of the lacrosse team. Today, after serving in the U.S.

Navy and a career as a partner with a strategy and IT consulting firm, he now serves as a director on three boards, including currently serving as chairman of the George C. Marshall International Center in Leesburg, Virginia. “The education at VMI—I believe in it so much,” Tom stated. “It’s a difference maker. It certainly was in my life, and I’ve seen the transformation that it makes in others. It’s unique. ... And I think the athletic portion of a VMI education is equal to, if not greater, than the academic portion. There’s nothing that develops resiliency and toughness more than going on the road and maybe the contest not going your way, but you have a long trip back to Lexington, and you have to get up the next day and take care of things in barracks and in the classroom.”

Today, Tom can easily see that VMI is great preparation for life not going according to plan—because it seldom does. “I’ve become a big fan of the expression that life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you handle it,” he noted. “And at VMI, in addition to the strong academics, athletics, the friendships with brother rats and all that, you get a lot of experience with things happening to you. Each component of the Three-Legged Stool comes together to reinforce that. It’s a great education.”

This past year, the Greenspon brothers have enjoyed building a relationship with Cadet Luca Minniti ’28, a midfielder from Dublin, Ohio, who’s the current recipient of the Greenspon Family Lacrosse Scholarship, and that relationship has even extended to Minniti’s parents.

“I had my 40th Reunion this past spring, and there was a home [lacrosse] game that weekend with an impressive win by the Keydets,” Tom related. “I happened to run into [Minniti’s parents] at the hotel during reunion weekend. They couldn’t have been kinder, more genuine, more appreciative. ... Luca is doing very well at VMI and likes it, and that additional thread of having a relationship with a benefactor hopefully ties [cadets] to the school. It is an honor to have this opportunity to help build that.”

Contributions to the Walter W. Greenspon Family Lacrosse Scholarship are welcome. Checks may be made to the VMI Foundation, with Walter W. Greenspon Family Lacrosse Scholarship on the memo line, and sent to P.O. Box 932, Lexington, VA 24450.

or Scan Here to Support

Tom (left) and Jon were key contributors to the successes of the Keydet lacrosse team in the 1980s and 1990s.—Photos courtesy 1985 Bomb and Jon Greenspon.

1944

Jonathan Safrit ’10

As the autumn leaves fall across Letcher Avenue and the air grows cool with the approach of winter, the Class of 1944 takes this moment to wish everyone the best this holiday season.

I communicated with Bob Smothers shortly before these notes were submitted, and our most senior alumni sends his best to all and says he is doing “AOK.” Not long after these notes come out, Bob will celebrate his 103rd birthday in December. I know I speak for everyone at the Alumni Agencies when I say we wish nothing but the best for Bob as he reaches this incredible milestone. I know I’ve said it before, but we are truly blessed to have a man such as Bob represent VMI as our most senior alum.

1947

Jonathan Safrit ’10

can attest to the love and respect they all have for Roger. I never tire of being around so many different classes and seeing the differences in our VMI experiences or, more importantly, the similarities. Roger was very appreciative and specifically instructed me to pass along to the Review that he had a great time.

Unfortunately, I did learn of the passing of Betty Sellars Little, the wife of the late Robert C. Little, July 19, 2025. Betty and Robert were married 32 years prior to his passing in 2020. As stated in her obituary, Betty was a doer and a fixer. She loved animals. She supported a number of charities, and she especially loved celebrating the holidays of Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Betty was curious and engaging, and she was always willing to lend an ear in order to offer support and advice. She will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by those who knew her.

Class of 1947: Pictured at Roger Rosenfield’s 99th birthday celebration in Raleigh, North Carolina, in June 2025 are (from left) Rick Hening ’75; Roger; Bo Winn, Roger’s son-in-law; and Jonathan Safrit ’10, class agent.

I submitted these notes Aug. 15, coincidently, 80 years to the day when 1st Lt. James G. Allen Jr. was killed in a plane crash in Italy during World War II. James was just one of hundreds during that time who went from the barracks into battlefields across Europe and the Pacific. In Italy, he was part of the 15th Air Force, 718th Bomber Squadron, 449th Bomber Group. On the day of his death, James and his crew were scheduled to perform a night mission to support Operation Dragoon, the invasion of Southern France. His B-24H Liberator took off from Grottaglie Airfield, Italy, but failed to gain needed altitude, due to being heavily laden with ordnance and fuel, and clipped high-tension electrical lines. His plane crashed a half mile beyond the runway, killing all 12 airmen aboard.

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

1946

David M. Hudock ’97

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

Class of 1947: The cake prepared for Roger Rosenfield’s 99th birthday celebration.

With the holidays on the horizon, the Class of 1947 sends warm wishes to you and your families in the hope that this season brings joy, fond memories, and the feelings of a well-lived and shared life.

This notes period was highlighted by the 99th birthday of one of our most senior alumni, Roger Rosenfield. Members of the Raleigh, North Carolina, Chapter of VMI alumni honored Roger by helping him celebrate his special occasion with a birthday breakfast. I was lucky enough to attend this assembly of at least 12 VMI classes from five different decades and

As always, I remain available to friends and family of 1947 and always enjoy hearing from you all. On behalf of the Class of 1947, I wish you all the best.

1948B

Lisa Tracy

Greetings, Class of ’48B, Friends, and Families, As I write to you, I’m looking out over the wooded slope outside my cabin window in the foothills of House Mountain, where the daily temperatures are finally beginning to look a bit like fall—thank goodness!

By the time we all read this in the Review itself, we will be well on our way to Thanksgiving, and that makes me think of the first year the Class of ’48B spent on post—what it was like, in those days of war, to experience all of the daily life changes the war had brought, in terms of food, transportation, and so much more. I am wondering if you even got to go home for Thanksgiving! Apropos of those years, someone here in Lexington recently reminded me of a much-told story about Col. B.D. Mayo ’909, who was famous for throwing a piece of chalk out of the classroom window to see whether he could hit the telephone wire that passed outside near the building. There

may have been some math, physics, or engineering lesson inherent in the odds of his succeeding—that much has not come down with the story, but the immediate effect was that if the chalk struck the wire, class was dismissed for the day.

And that got me to wondering, again: What memories do you have of the professors of that era—any quirks or outstanding characteristics of the men who stood at the front of those classes or labs? Among those reassigned to teach subjects about which they might have had little idea were, for example, Col. R.L. Bates (from psychology to geography) or Lt. Col. S.F. Blain (Spanish to physics).

As for the civil engineering profs—two of whom picked up physics and mathematics, which must have seemed pretty reasonable—when I spoke recently with George Ramsey, he said his chief memory was that he enjoyed his time in the department. He also remembers some of the later faculty, including Col. (and later Gen.) James M. “Jim” Morgan ’45—“because I stayed in touch with VMI,” as a member and then president of the Board of Visitors.

When I caught up with him on a fairly toasty August day, George had just come in from tending to some yardwork. I recalled, from an earlier visit to his home, two handsome magnolia trees in his front yard, which are beautiful year-round but do constantly shed leaves. But he said he enjoys all of the work. “I don’t push it, but things are rocking along pretty well,” he said, adding that he walks every day and enjoys visits with family in the area, including son Pete Ramsey ’72, who lives nearby.

Up in Michigan, Rod Kallgren was having a visit with son Scott when I called. Scott lives in Midland, Michigan, and was in Dearborn for the day. As I chatted with both of them, Scott mentioned that his daughter—and Rod’s granddaughter—Joye Allen, had recently visited Lexington with two of Rod’s great-grandchildren, ages 4 and 7, and had taken a lot of photos to bring home to Michigan for the family to enjoy. And who knows, might one or both carry on the family tradition ... Classes of 2039 and 2042, perhaps? Rod, meanwhile, has attained the rank of second-youngest member of the senior alumni list, which is currently headed by Robert W. “Bob” Smothers ’44, at age 102. The last time we talked, Rod had mentioned that his earlier ambition was to live to the year 2000, but he had long since revised it, with his current goal to live to 100. Here’s to it!

Speaking from Nashville, Angus Crook shared that he and wife Nancy had just been watching Ken Burns’ World War II series, “The War.” When we spoke, the 80th anniversary of Japan’s

surrender had just passed, and we got to talking about World War II and its course globally and closer to home. Angus mentioned his older brother was serving as a doctor with the Allies in France when he got orders to report to Marseille to be shipped to the Pacific for the projected invasion of Japan. That invasion, Angus mentioned, was expected to require a force of up to one million. But for his brother, the path from Marseille led home instead after the unprecedented turn of history caused by the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and Japan’s subsequent surrender.

Angus reminded me that he spent only a short time at VMI because, like his brother, he had the medical profession in his sights and sought a university that was offering, at the time, more premed; he received his M.D. from the University of Virginia in 1953. He said, however, that that first year at the Institute—starting in July 1944 because of VMl’s accelerated wartime schedule—remains very clear in his mind, especially the things that set it apart from more usual years at the Institute. For one, the rats were not relegated to the fourth stoop because of the paucity of upperclassmen.

In his essay “Cadet Life at VMI During the War,” Jim Morgan related that when the ’48As arrived in February of 1944, the total cadet body totaled 226, “... and only 170 remained in May 1944; of those, 35 had resignations effective 30 May with the intent to volunteer for the armed forces.”

That would mean that fewer than 200 upperclassmen were on post to greet, mentor, and possibly harass the Class of ’48B when you arrived in 1944. Morgan observed that there were “many fewer cadets in barracks in 1944 than during the height of the Civil War.” By the end of your first academic year in February 1945, he noted, the total cadet Corps numbered 173, and by June of that year it was down to 153.

He also related there was concern that the rat system would disappear, and he quotes Gen. Charles E. Kilbourne ’894, then-superintendent, in an address to the presidents of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Classes in 1944: “The so-called ‘rat system’ must be changed because of the small number of 4th Class cadets. The new cadets must be left alone during study hours and after taps. These do I ask in the name of fair dealing. ... No gentleman would ask another gentleman to shine his shoes, and if we have any in barracks who do so, the sooner he is out, the better.”

Morgan reported, however, that despite the constant chaos of the shortened academic years, with new cadets constantly arriving and upperclassmen departing, “the survivors of each succeeding class viewed the rat system as not a part-time job.”

Upperclassmen claimed their traditional privileges and applied the rat rules, as those had faithfully been transmitted by their upperclass predecessors. He also mentioned a prank that involved a fake fight up on the (probably) otherwise empty fourth stoop, but that will have to await another day.

You are doubtless aware that Gen. Morgan passed away in 2021, and with him went a store of Institutional knowledge, as well as his kind spirit and keen sense of humor. At his memorial, the daughter of one of his barracks roommates, Dr. Andrew John “Buddy” Metz ’45, related that as upperclassmen, they got “the best room—325, over [Main] Arch, thanks to Jim as class historian with top grades.”

And regarding that, the late esteemed chair emeritus of the civil engineering department has something in common with the Class of ’48B: Angus Crook has not forgotten that, with the wartime reality of those scanty numbers in barracks in 1944, rats were living on the second stoop. He and four roommates got the coveted spot—as rats!— over the arch.

Until next time, I send you all my best wishes for a beautiful fall and, in advance, for a happy Thanksgiving. Please—brother rats, friends, and family—send news and/or photos of family events or gatherings—we want to know and see what you’ve been up to! And it would be great to hear: Who stands out in your memories of faculty and staff—for excellence or wisdom, kindness or quirkiness?

Fondest Regards, Lisa T.

1949A

Jonathan Safrit ’10

As the autumn leaves fall gently along the banks of the Chesapeake Bay and Thanksgiving draws near, we pause once more to reflect, remember, and give thanks—for the bonds forged, the lives led, and the legacy left by the Class of 1949A. Though time has thinned their ranks, the spirit of ’49A endures in Harrison Whitten Jr., the sole surviving member. Harrison is doing well and is always a pleasure to talk to. Whether it’s about his family’s history, fishing, or classic cars, the conversation never disappoints. He’s one of those people you have to force yourself to hang up on for fear of taking up too much of his time, which he is always more than willing to give.

It’s nearly impossible to believe that just a few shortmonthsfromnow,he’llbeturning99.What a milestone! The entire Institute family, from cadets to alumni, stands in admiration of your strength, resilience, and enduring spirit. You’ve carriedthelegacyof’49Awithhonor,humor,and humility.

As always, I remain available to the friends and family of 1949A and always enjoy hearing from you all. On behalf of the Class of 1949A, I wish you all the best as we close, say goodbye to fall, and head intowinter.

1949B

Ding Patton

These notes cover the period from May 16–Aug. 15, 2025.

I haven’t heard from anyone, so I made a few calls in order to have something to report. I had lunch with Tommy Altizer after he returned to Staunton for the summer. Tommy has a non-se-rious health issue that has negatively impacted his golf and tennis games temporarily. We had in-tended to meet Greg Nelson for lunch at a mid-point between Staunton and Richmond, but Greg doesn’t drive much anymore, and Tom and I are not comfortable driving to Richmond, so we were unableto do it.

Charlie Hurt reports he is still working every day. He must be the only BR who can make that claim. Charlie is completing his 1,000-acre real estate project in Charlottesville.

Jim Morgan lives with his daughter in Pennsyl-vania. He says that he is in good health, but Hester has Alzheimer’s. To keep busy, Jim spends most of his time on the computer and playing the stock market. He didn’t offer any hot tips,though.

Inga Van Hook kept in touch regularly in the past, but I haven’t heard from her recently. When I tried to call her, the phone had been disconnected.

Bill and Ann Stribling are still residing at the Westminster Canterbury retirement home in Win-chester, where he reports that it is a good spot, and they receive excellent care. He says that he is hanging in, and he and Ann enjoy good health.Heoccupieshis time watchingTV

I just received a Legacy Provisional Appoint-ment to VMI for my great-grandson, Henry James Stafford (No. 10 of 11 greatgrandchildren). If he attends, he will be in the Class of 2045, graduating 100 years from when we started at the Institute. His parents are Georgiafans, but Ican hope.

Class Notes

Please send some news for future class notes. I need your help. God bless America, VMI, and ’49B.

Yours in the Bonds of VMI, Ding

1950B

Robert F. Lynd

Once again, Father Time has caught up with me, and it’s time for my quarterly article for the Alumni Review. Let’s open with a statistic. This article covers the period from May 15–Aug. 15, 2025. During this period, I have had no—repeat, no—reports of the deaths of any of our brother rats. The count of 15 of us remains valid, according to my information. This is accurate up to the day before submission of the article Aug. 14.

I sent out an email that had to do with the goings-on at the Institute this summer. Namely, Maj. Gen. Wins ’85 leaving, the problems between VMI’s BOV and the Virginia Senate, and the continuing DEI issues. I thought the email might provoke some reactions/responses. But alas, no echo from the black hole. I did send out a couple of emails directly to specific people—but, again, “nada.” Hellooooo! Is anyone out there?

When I heard about a shooting in Lexington, Kentucky, I called Cary “Razor” Blaydes to make sure he and his’ns were OK. They are not near where any of that was going on. Cary’s had a real bout with back issues. If you look at the photos from the reunion, you’ll see he was using a walker most of the time. But—praise be—he has had some success with his treatment (shooting cement between a couple of collapsed vertebrae) and physical therapy. He’s given up the walker and is now using a cane when he goes out, but around the house, he does without it. We exchanged stories about our backs and legs and other “medical stuff.” After all, Cary’s a doctor, and we were pre-meds together—shop talk? Lexington (Kentucky, that is) has been spared the torrential rains and flooding experienced in other parts of the state, but they do have some tornadoes touch down. We also discussed briefly all the happenings going on this summer at VMI. Governor Youngkin leaves office this year, and the governorship of Virginia seems to be up for grabs.

Tommy Kirk, always the busy one, though he

denies it, did have some fun this summer. He and Ann took a 15-day Viking River Cruise of all of the Great Lakes. He says it was an awesome trip, particularly because neither of them had done that before. He did say it’s been very hot in Phoenix (no surprise), so he and Ann are vacationing in the Colorado mountains. The small village of Friso should be cooler at 9,000 feet. It’s near a lake, so I’m sure they will be enjoying water sports, and it’s up in the vicinity of Tommy’s old skiing days. His son and family will be joining them for a few days.

Had a nice long phone chat with Mitch Lawrence, who is our oldest living BR. He had hopes of attending our reunion, but at the last moment, he had some physical problems that put him out of commission. He’s back together again after some surgeons worked on him, and he sounds fine, but he’s working on getting his walking back up to snuff. Also, his wife died about a year ago, and she’s buried in Lexington, Virginia, where Mitch plans to be buried alongside her. He talked about some of his ancestry. Turns out Mitch is related to the sister of Pocahontas on his mother’s side. The sister married into the Burks, which is Mitch’s mother’s name. He’s also related to two boys who fought at New Market. The family had a plantation on the James River. Mitch is also related, through the Burks, to a Judge Carlton Penn (his mother was a Burks) from Leesburg. The judge had been in the USMC and fought in the South Pacific during World War II.He was killed in a car crash recently. Mitch met him a couple of times when they were trying to settle the estate on the James River. Fascinating history.

Hoge Sutherland’s son, Tyler, dropped me a line. Like all of us, Hoge’s getting older and had his 97th birthday in July. He shared it with family and reportedly had a good time. Turns out he has twin grandsons—who knew? And they recently competed at this summer’s VMI football prospect camp. The camp website says, “The Virginia Military Institute Football Camps are for offensive players, defensive players, and specialists. Camp will focus on skill development and position-specific fundamentals. Campers will work directly with the Virginia Military Institute football coaching staff. ... Camp is open to all high school students.” Furthermore, “The ultimate goal of attending these camps is to gain exposure, improve skills, and get noticed by college recruiters.” Sounds like the twins might be interested in going to VMI. Tyler didn’t say, but he did say that Hoge got a kick out of hearing about the camps. Here in Bella Roswell, we’ve had a lot more rain than in past years, and that helped to reduce

the number of 100-plus degree days this year. Everything is surprisingly green instead of dusty brown. But the mountain village of Ruidoso, in the mountains about 80 miles west of us, has had major flooding this summer. A year ago, wildfires burned a lot of the timber, and when the heavy rains come, the water just runs off. There’s nothing to slow it down—to absorb it. All of the loose debris—tree limbs, soot, etc.—washes down on the town. There was a horrifying video in the news showing a house floating away in the rush of water and gunk. Who would have thought that this dry Upper Chihuahuan desert would get so much rain. Of course, it’s nothing like that which Texas, the Midwest, and the East have had to deal with this summer.

It’s the beginning of the chile harvest. Although chiles are grown all over New Mexico, it is the world-famous Hatch chiles that everyone anticipates hungrily. The chiles are so-named because they come from an area near the small town of Hatch in Southwest New Mexico. Every grocery store in town (including Walmart!) has a tumbler of green chiles rotating over a flame to roast them so their skins will peel off easily. I’ve written about this before. The aroma of roasting chiles is like none other. It’s marvelous. I wish there was some way to bottle it or save it—make it a men’s cologne or maybe even a perfume for the ladies. Oh, my.

Just before this submission, I see that the search for a new superintendent has boiled down to three finalists. If you haven’t seen the list, you should look for it. If it were up to me, I’d pick retired U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. David Furness ’87 He has a very impressive biography. He was the first captain (regimental commander, for those of you who have forgotten) his 1st Class year. He’s held high positions in the USMC and has been decorated for combat service. By the time you read this article (November), VMI will have a new superintendent. Let’s hope it’s a good one. (Editor’s Note: Furness was selected as VMI’s 16th superintendent Aug. 15.)

As an addendum to my local weather report above, the week before I turned in this article, our temps crept back up to triple digits. We are “enjoying” 103s and 106s. And I thought we had put those temperatures behind us. Ugh!

So that’s about it. I reckon we’re in our twilight years now—just resting on our laurels and memories. We don’t want to rock any boats, don’t want to get concerned about the goings-on of the world—just lie back, relax, maybe watch some TV—and nap—perchance to dream of our cadet days at VMI (softly) Rah Virginia Mil. Zzzzzzz ... ¡Hasta la próxima vez! Eso espero.

1951

Ursula Baxley

Today is Aug. 15. My news today comes from Bounce Carstens. He writes me four times a year. I can never thank him enough. He writes, “I am going over to Dallas for Memorial Day weekend and plan to meet Jim and Jean Enochs and get together with Pete Philp. We have done this for the last few years. We have a cake saying ‘VMI’ and give an Old Yell for the Class of 1951.”

My news is that I became a great-grandmother in May to a very handsome baby boy. Where do the years go? Thank goodness for the memories!

Thank you for your nice words, and rah Virginia Mil!

1952

Dear Class of 1952 Family,

I am beginning these notes in late July, but you will read them in mid-November. By then, it will be almost Founders Day, marking an incredible 186 years since the first cadet sentinel, John B. Strange ’842, was posted on a snowy November day. As an aside, it has scarcely snowed in November in Lexington in my lifetime—a real sign of how much the world has changed!

This quarter was marked by the passing of Clark

Britton, a resident of Wichita, Kansas, who was quite an accomplished artist and graphic designer. Mr. Britton and I were friends on Facebook, and we communicated fairly often via Facebook Messenger. Through those conversations, I learned that after just over 1 year at VMI, he left to attend college in his home state at Alabama Polytechnic Institute (now Auburn University) and then pursued post-graduate study at both Ohio State and MIT. Later, he helped establish the graphic design program at Wichita State University.

In retirement and even after he’d suffered a stroke, Mr. Britton challenged himself with artistic undertakings of all kinds, working up until just a couple of weeks before his death. His creations came to life in a variety of media, including pen and ink sketches, woodcuts, and even textiles, and when I saw them online, I was amazed at his skill and dedication to his craft.

Last year, I put Mr. Britton in touch with Jeff Kozak, head of the VMI Archives, and Mr. Britton donated a VMI photo album owned by his father, Clark V. Britton ’925, to Preston Library. I’m very grateful I was able to help find this treasure a new and permanent home! Whenever I heard from Mr. Britton, he would ask me how his roommate, John L. “Zeke” Finney, was faring. When I heard that Mr. Britton had passed, I sent an email to the class, and that afternoon, Mr. Finney called. He told me that he was now using a walker, “but other than that, I’m in good shape.” He and his wife, Sarah, continue to live in their home in Gloucester, Virginia, although they no longer travel to Florida in the winters as they once did. In July, Mr. Finney had lunch with his longtime friend Dr. Andy Dickinson—see the photo that accompanies these notes. As a reminder, please send me any and all photos of your activities and outings, as those are always greatly enjoyed.

I also heard from my faithful friend and correspondent, Dr. Jim Wiley, during this quarter, who told me he was moving to assisted living at Cedarfield, the retirement community in Richmond, Virginia, where he’s lived for the past several years. “I’m slowing down,” he explained. “At 94, you can’t fight city hall.” Although his body is moving more slowly, his mind is still sharp—and he explains his biggest challenge quite well. “My biggest chore is keeping up with my appointments,” he related, mentioning that in addition to the usual doctor and dentist visits, he sees both a physical therapist and an occupational therapist. I am sure many of you can relate!

Over the past 3 years I’ve served as class agent, I’ve been able to establish contact with nearly all brother rats still living, but there are a few I

haven’t been able to track down. One of them is Peter Milton, who spent 2 years at VMI. Up until this summer, Mr. Milton was a complete mystery to me, although I’d done enough online sleuthing to learn that he’s a well-known artist whose works adorn the walls of such renowned institutions as the British Museum and the Library of Congress, and I’d enjoyed perusing his fantastical works at his website, petermilton.com.

Then, one day, I happened to see a Facebook post from the Rockbridge Historical Society, mentioning retired U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. William H. Milton Jr. ’920, who served as the Institute’s eighth superintendent from 1952–60. The post also mentioned that Maj. Gen. Milton had an artist son who attended VMI for a couple of years before going on to attend Yale University. Bingo! All of a sudden, the pieces snapped together, and then it became clear why Mr. Peter Milton began his college education at VMI. I still haven’t been able to get in touch with Mr. Milton, so if any of you happen to be in contact with him, please let me know. Others in the class I haven’t been able to reach are Mr. William Baber, Mr. Richard Falwell, and Mr. Joseph Webber. If any of you are reading these notes, please know I’d love to hear from you. The more input I get, the more interesting these notes will be.

On Saturday, July 26, I watched the livestream of Jim Mecredy’s memorial service, which took place in Augusta, Georgia. It was a beautiful service, short and simple, as I’m sure Jim would have preferred. His sons—Dave Mecredy ’78 and Dr. Tim Mecredy ’80—spoke eloquently about their love for their father, who died in December 2024 at the age of 96.

“He was Mr. Outdoors,” Tim Mecredy recalled, going on to note that their father taught all three of his sons—Dave, Tim, and their younger brother, Ron Mecredy ’82—how to swim in the cold rivers of Northern Wisconsin and loved nothing more than sleeping outdoors under the stars. He also cut his sons’ hair in a buzz cut style, and when a teenage Tim Mecredy protested, his father replied, “That’s the only haircut I know how to do.”

Dave Mecredy recalled their father’s interest in passing along knowledge of all kinds. “He was a teacher and trainer,” he said of his father, recalling that Jim Mecredy taught his sons the names of birds and trees, plus useful skills like how to cook over a campfire, how to paddle a canoe, and how to ice skate. Jim Mecredy had been a competitive swimmer at VMI, and time in and on the water was a joy. Today, one of his grandsons is following in his footsteps as a

Class Notes

swimmer, much to the family’s delight.

The Mecredys also spoke eloquently of their father’s faith, and how he’d struggled to keep going and find purpose after his wife, Lucette Mecredy, passed away in spring 2024. Jim told his sons that he had come to understand that the Lord was teaching him grace and humility. Based on our telephone friendship and emails exchanged, I would say that Jim exhibited those qualities in abundance. I know you will join me in sending condolences to the Mecredy sons, their wives, children, and grandchildren as they navigate life without Jim and Lucette.

On a much happier note, I received a cheerful and newsy email from Lynchburg, Virginia, resident Langhorne McCarthy earlier in the summer. At the end of June, she wrote, “It’s so hot and humid here, and I’m sure Lexington is having the same problem. Summer has arrived with an early bang, and the only time I like hot weather is at the beach! And speaking of, all our gang will be going to Emerald Isle July 12, and I can hardly wait. We will be in four scattered cottages and get together on the beach every day at about the same time. And it will be the first time for me to welcome and hug my two new seventh and eighth great-grandchildren. Both babies have VMI grandfathers. The first is Virginia McCarthy Ryan (whose husband is a Green Beret), with her first child named Blair, and Jack McCarthy ’87 is her grandfather. The second, born 3 days apart, is Katie Stinnette Coward’s son Charlie, and his grandfather is Wade Stinnette ’80.”

As I was wrapping up these notes, I received an email from retired U.S. Marine Corps Col. John Roche of San Diego, California. He wrote, “Thank you for the birthday greeting. It finds me beginning an infusion regimen aimed at a cancer recently identified. There’s tenderness at the site, and my endurance has reduced substantially. The pool is more of a challenge each time. I do remember your dad [Jack Lanford] zipping up and down that old pool. I’ve enjoyed Master’s

swimming in earlier years, and just recreational laps recently. ... Thanks for your service to us of ’52. God bless. John Roche.” I know you all will join me in wishing Col. Roche the speediest of recoveries.

Those are the updates I have to share with you this quarter. As always, I encourage you to reach out by any means comfortable for you. I wish you the best for the holiday season and a joyous 2026. ’52, ’52, ’52!

WilliamC.NoellJr.

As all noticed, I am sure, I did not have any class notes last quarter. At the time I was supposed to write the notes, our life was kind of hectic and busy, especially for a 94-year-old, and I could not get up the energy to get them submitted by the deadline, so no notes. However, the major happening last quarter was the passing of Jack Trigg in Birmingham. Jack was also a chemistry major and a very good friend with whom we stayed several times when we went to the area to the UT-Crimson Tide football games. He and Elizabeth came to many Richmond spring lunches, as Elizabeth has family in Lynchburg. Judy and I went to Selma, Alabama, several times in the past with Jack and Peachy to visit Gayle (Wyatt) Shorter.

We also lost Bill Nelson, who was a very good friend all 4 years at VMI. We kept in contact over the years—years ago, he came up with the phrase, “I would be the last man standing,” in regard to class notes. He may be close in that statement. I stayed with them when I was in Arizona to teach a week’s course at the RAD facility there many years ago. His son contacted me several years ago to tell me that Bill was now in an assisted living facility in California but was still reading his emails.

During the quarter when we were in Norfolk with family, Judy and I stopped by Williamsburg to visit Ed and Ingrid Brown. Ed is in an assisted living facility and uses a wheelchair, but Ingrid is still in their apartment close by. Ed was very pleased with our visit, and I am very sure he would enjoy hearing from some of you.

This quarter starts with the loss of Norris Kantor in Bluefield, West Virginia. Judy and I knew Norris, as well as Doris Sue, fairly well and have had dinner with them

when passing through Lexington. We had planned to meet in Wytheville for dinner on one of the times we were on the way to Tennessee, but we never worked it in. Norris and Bromo Seletz ran the midnight sandwich barracks concession our 1st Class year.

We also lost John Lisella up in Maryland. John and Natalie normally came to the Richmond spring lunches and are the only ones who showed interest in having the lunch in May, so it never came about. John and Natalie had been to a family reunion in Las Vegas and were returning home when he had a heart attack in the airport at the ticket counter. I did talk to Natalie a few days later, as they were good friends.

On the lighter side, Judy attended the rat send-off again here in August, which this time was at the Knoxville Taphouse. One of our adopted cadets, Charlie McLaughlin ’26, and his roommate from Chattanooga joined us. Our adopted cadets have now returned to barracks, so we once again have two extra cars in our drive. However, we will lose one of the vehicles in December due to mid-term graduation. Now the big event for us next quarter will be the marriage of our granddaughter, Addie Jay B., Sept. 6 in Lexington.

On July 13, 2025, BR Jack Huyett passed away. He is survived by his children, Beverly Hofer Huyett; son, Jack Robinson Huyett Jr. (Rob) and his wife, Diane; daughter, Elizabeth Huyett Spencer (Liz), and her husband, Larry; and his beloved granddaughter, Catherine Elizabeth Spencer (Cat).

Jack, the youngest of five children, was born May 24, 1932. A native of Charles Town, West Virginia, there was no one prouder to call Jefferson County and West Virginia home. Following his 1950 graduation from Charles Town High School, he entered Virginia Military Institute and graduated with a B.A. in history in 1954. At Jack’s graduation from VMI, he was commissioned in the Army as a second lieutenant, infantry, and was stationed at Fort Benning.

He received orders to go to Germany and was sent to Dothan, Alabama, as part of the team to re-open the former Camp Rucker when the Army Aviation School moved to Rucker from Fort Sill, Oklahoma. With newborn Rob in tow, Jack and his wife, Beverly, moved to Pensacola, Florida, in 1956, where Jack started work with Chemstrand Corporation—at one time the largest manufacturer of synthetic fiber. While Jack liked his time with Chemstrand, he wasn’t fond of the hours of his job as a shift manager, and loved to say, “I worked while everybody played and played while everybody else worked.” He decided to return to Charles Town in 1959, with a new baby, Liz, now part of the family.

Lagunitas, California. Bill grew up in idyllic Pennsylvania, where his family had established several businesses. At VMI, he rose to the rank of first captain and was commissioned as a U.S. Army officer in 1954. He married Sally Gleason the following year.

Bill and Sally had three children—Bill, Rich, and John—who followed him to various assignments in Germany and several posts stateside. Transferring from artillery to airborne and then to military intelligence, Bill pursued his education in Russian and Soviet studies, attending Detachment R in Oberammergau, Germany, and obtaining a master’s degree in those subjects from Columbia University. Caramba!

He spent 3 years teaching Russian and Soviet studies at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and then served as a battalion commander in the Vietnam War. After returning from Vietnam, Bill became the commandant of the Army Russian Institute (the predecessor to the Marshall Institute) in Garmisch, Germany, where he oversaw training for military liaisons and diplomats destined for service in the then-Soviet Union.

Greetings:

Long phone talk with Al Mattox. He and I are both from Staunton. When we were both 12 years old (same birthday), we went to his house one day. Al was EE at VMI. He had taken over the family garage for work he was engaged in— one garage wall, as I remember it, was decked out with an astonishing array of electrical items, tools, and whatnot; it was amazing to me, and I can still see it in memory. I had been reading all the Tom Swift and Hardy Boys books, and here was Staunton’s own Tom Swift. Knocked me for a loop.

Al has a married granddaughter who is or will be working at UVA. She is his closest family member now in the area. He has/had some very interesting items he collected during his life, some of which he has given to relatives. These include an Uzi, two German Lugers (one with a Nazi insignia), and an old German (Nazi-era) radio that is still in working order, vacuum tubes and all. It also has a Nazi emblem on it.

Jack entered banking. He accepted the position of note teller with Blakeley Bank and Trust in 1959, was promoted to executive vice president and cashier in 1963 and was named president in 1969. Jack remained in that position when Blakeley Bank merged with F&M Bank-Blakeley. In 1992, Jack was named president and chief administrative officer of the board in 1996. He retained those positions until his retirement in 1997.

Jack was active in community affairs. He was a member of the board of the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce, a past president of the Charles Town Kiwanis Club, and served on community boards, including Jefferson Memorial Park, Edge Hill Cemetery, and Charles Town Library. He was a member of Forty & Eight, Men’s Cooking Club, Charles Town Cotillion, Henry Kyd Douglas Sons of the Confederates, the American Legion, and the VFW. He was a lifetime member of the Charles Town Presbyterian Church, having served as deacon, elder, treasurer, and president of the board of trustees.

Bill Dunkelberger died Jan. 5, 2025, in

After Garmisch, Bill served as director of estimates at the Defense Intelligence Agency before retiring from the military as a lieutenant colonel. He was offered an executive role with General Motors in Moscow but turned it down to build a mountain top house in Vermont and teach in the public schools there, where his students greatly benefited from his wealth of geopolitical experience.

Bill and Sally divorced, and Bill then married Sarah Shields. They lived together with her daughter, Evelyn, on their farm near Rochester, Vermont, for several years before separating.

Bill eventually moved to California and married Anne Henderson. He became a devotee of Adidam and worked as the headmaster of a private school in Oakland, California. After a devastating wildfire, Bill lost his home in Middletown, California, and moved to Lagunitas, where he resided until his death. He served the Adidam community in a public affairs capacity until he passed. Adidam is closely related to the Indian tradition of nondualism, which can also be found in the non-dualistic teachings of Catholic priest Richard Rohr, readily obtainable in Rohr’s presentations (lectures) on the internet.

Bill excelled at everything he did. He had a contagious love of life, people, languages, cultures, travel, and good food. He also had a wry sense of humor, which will be sorely missed.

As always, we welcome any and all news for inclusion in the Alumni Review.

Class Notes

Barney Lawless

First, I must start with an apology for my late request for input for this column. The standard response is “No excuse, sir!” Second of all, when I granted “all duty” to the class, I did not really mean to shut down your response for column input. I hope you will all forgive my error in request, and I will walk a penalty tour or two down the hallway. I hope you all saw the pictures of our reunion in the last issue.

I had a long response from Bill Cridlin saying he and Charlotte had lunch with Ron Bryan and his daughter in Richmond. As far as he knows, they are the last two brother rats in the immediate area. They had just come back from a long road trip to visit his other daughter in South Dakota, and he managed to survive the trip without much discomfort from his recent back disorder. They had a pleasant time discussing past and present events relating to their experiences at VMI. Time and circumstances have certainly changed since we first set foot on the Parade Ground. He sends best regards to all.

Thanks to his son, I had a long telephone conversation with Monty Taylor. It was along the same lines as Bill’s note above. Monty is now living in Houston, having previously been in Hawaii. Pete Haake says they are all good in Scottville. The summer is going well, and there has not been too much rain. He is looking forward to the coolness of the fall season and sends his best to all.

Taps has sounded for John R. “Jack” Lathram, Curry J. “Doc” May, and Timothy H. “Tim” O’Neil Jr.

1956

Dickie Justice ’82

Greetings, Classof’56, It’s that time of year As I write these notes, the summer break is growing short, cadre starts in a couple of weeks, and you already can feel the growing hollow feeling in the pit of your stomach as you realize you’ll be back on the Parade

Ground shortly and back in 6-day/week classes shortly after that. No more sleeping in! Every time I drive past Lexington on I-81, I get reminded of that feeling. VMI—what a great place to be from. I’ve visited the Institute a few times over the last couple of years and am encouraged by the polite and respectful Corps. RVM.

This is my first attempt at writing class notes, and I appreciate the input I received. For everyone’s consideration, if it is easier to call and talk through inputs for the Review, I’m happy to field those calls. My contact information is above. I hope I can provide a useful service to the class.

I received a note from Paul Gronroos. After graduating, Paul spent most of his working life in the commercial real estate industry after a few years as a consulting engineer on Long Island. Paul is married to his wife, Terry, and has daughters Cynthia, Lisa, and Meredith, who he proudly advises is an honors graduate of Washington and Lee. While Paul points out he was not an honors graduate at VMI, he was able to apply the study habits learned at VMI to earn a master’s in finance from NYU in Manhattan.

Pete Jennette reports that he and wife Sue moved into the Patriots Colony at Williamsburg 2 years ago. Pete called Patriots Colony a CCRC. I had to look that up, even though I’m a great acronym guesser, having spent over 40 years working around the DoD and federal government in general. CCRC means continuous care retirement community. Pete said most residents are retired military, while he is not. I’m reading between the lines but suspect Pete gets tired of hearing stories that start with, “No kidding (or some less polite word), there I was ...” with the rest of the story told with colorful, exaggerated words and a heavy dose of hand movements! Hang in there, Pete—freedom isn’t free, and now you get to pay a non-monetary price!

Chuck and Jean Jundt also live in Patriots Colony and socialize with the Jennettes almost daily. Sue and Pete keep active with bocce ball and putting competitions. Sue is into pickleball, so she must be in great physical shape. Pete stays in touch via telephone with Dave Blair, Pannill Jones, and Bill Salsgiver, and he reports they are all doing well. Pete also stays in touch with Jim Esler’s wife, Barbara. Jim and Pete went to med school and residency together, so their families have been close for a long time. Pete sent a picture from a mini reunion at the No Name Pub on Big Pine Key, Florida, from around the mid-’90s. Pictured are Dave Blair, Pete, Sue, Dayle Salsgiver, Anne Blair, and Bill

Salsgiver. The Salsgivers had a condo in Marathon at that time and still do. The second photo is from the 3rd Class year. Many thanks to Pete for the inputs and pictures.

Reporting for my dad, Dick Justice, I am happy to report dad and mom (Sue to most VMI acquaintances) are doing well and living outside Richmond in Hanover County, where they have resided for the last three decades or so. Dad retired from the state of Virginia after working many years as a civil engineer in the highway department and then in facilities for the community college. He loves to play golf and has worked hard over the years to stay mentally and physically fit. He tries to get out once a week or so for 18 holes if it isn’t dangerously hot. He’s been shooting his age for many years and enjoys getting out with his golfing friends, including Don Heslep, until Don’s unfortunate passing earlier this year. Earlier this summer, dad and I played in a father-son tournament hosted by Hermitage Country Club. We’ve been playing the tournament for over 30 years and thoroughly enjoy the hospitality and immaculate conditions of the club. It’s a first-class operation. More important than the golf or work, dad has been active in church and Christian ministries for many years. He’s worked with children’s ministries, prison ministries, and international ministries, putting into practice his personal beliefs. He’ll tell you he has been blessed with a sound mind and body and tries to give back where able.

On the sadder side of life, John Olinger ’87 recently informed the Alumni Agencies of the

passing of his father, Dr. Benjamin Olinger ’56, in April of this year. A copy of his obituary may be found here: grocefuneralhome.com/obits/ benjamin-ray-olinger. Dr. Olinger led a distinguished life in the field of medicine, devoting his career to improving the lives of his patients. Additionally, James Waring ’81 and Matthew L. Waring ’83 informed the Alumni Agencies of the passing of their father, Col. Mowton L. Waring Jr. ’56. The Warings have a long lineage with VMI. Col. Waring served on the faculty at VMI from 1964–67 as an assistant professor of military science (Army ROTC) and as a tactical officer on the commandant’s staff. Other family alumni include his grandfather, James Mowton Saunders Waring ’894; his father, Mowton LeCompte Waring ’927; and his two sons, James Mowton Waring ’81 and Matthew LeCompte Waring ’83

In August, the Alumni Agencies learned that Jesse Morgan passed away July 14. He was a veteran of the United States Air Force and a decorated airman. His 20 years of service included tours of duty in the Vietnam War.

Lastly, we learned of the passing of Bill Menefee Aug. 7 at his home in Luray, Virginia. Bill graduated as a Distinguished Military Graduate with a B.A. in biology and earned a Master of Business Administration degree in industrial management from Babson College in 1964. In 1956, he was commissioned in the U.S. Army and began 28 years of military service, the majority as an ordnance officer with tours in Vietnam, Germany, Korea, and the Pentagon. He retired in 1984 and returned home to Luray. His post-service career included work as a contractor with the Department of Defense, director for economic development for Page County, and serving on the Luray Town Council (vice mayor), as well as leadership/ membership on many community and church organizations.

Closing on a high note, we have begun planning the 70th Reunion. The dates are April 13–14, 2026. We have a block of rooms reserved at the Wingate by Wyndham for $110/ night. I’m working on the agenda with the Alumni Agencies, and the

only unique item I’ve suggested to them so far is to schedule a session with the new superintendent, when selected, and have them describe their vision for VMI and field questions from alumni. I have not received a confirmation on that request yet, but am confident the Agencies will see the value if the schedule can be worked. If anyone has other suggestions on what they would like to see or do during the reunion, please email your thoughts or call me. In the absence of inputs, I will look to mimic best practices recommended by the people at the Alumni Agencies who do this as part of their jobs.

I look forward to meeting class members and receiving updates to pass on when class notes are due again in November.

1957

George Sydnor Jr.

Nick Kallelis

The Virginia Military Institute: An Uncommon Purpose!

Good morning, brother rats of the Class of ’57. It’s been a wet, muggy summer here in Fincastle, and enough rain to think we were becoming a tropical rain forest. It’s nice to know fall is just around the corner with the new Rat Mass matriculating in a few days as I write these notes.

Continuing our relatively new tradition of offering salutations to those BRs who have completed 90 years on this terrestrial ball, aka Earth, during the coming 6 months of 2026. They are Bill Gay, Jan.16; Randy Pendleton, Feb. 13; Milt Hargrave, April 4; and John Kuchnia, June 14. Good work, guys; keep taking whatever elixir it is that keeps you moving each day as you become part of the top 3% segment of the nation’s population. And even more gratifying to know that, as the database on aging states, once attaining the age of 90, you have a 40% chance of making it to 95. (Class agent’s note: Now isn’t that reassuring?)

Ben Elmore, for these many years, has maintained the fire of passion in keeping up with those of us still standing in ranks with his call-a-thon program, wherein each brother rat gets a call twice a year, and which is designed to check in with “those still standing” in our ranks. Ben called it our “how goes it” program, checking in to see how each BR is doing, verification of addresses, mobile numbers, email addresses, and info for inclusion in the class notes in the

Alumni Review, noting things of general interest such as family life, trips, interesting stories, and reflections on our time at the “I.” Let’s stay in touch with each other. Class agent’s note: Reflecting on the journey through life, it’s remarkable to see the paths we have taken and the milestones we have crossed. Virginia Military Institute has always stood as a beacon of resilience, determination, and camaraderie. As we celebrate our fellow brother rats who have reached the significant age of 90, it is a testament to the enduring spirit of our class. Each name on the list carries with it a story of perseverance, friendship, and shared experiences that have shaped us all. The dedication to staying connected and the initiative of rekindling the call-a-thon program highlight the importance of maintaining our bonds. Whether through heartfelt conversations or updates on family life, these moments of connection remind us of the strength of our shared history. The stories shared, like those of Ben Elmore and his team of callers, bring forth memories of the past and create new ones for the future. In these conversations, we see the evolving chapters of our lives, the rich tapestry of experiences woven into our history. It is heartening to read about the vibrant lives led by our brother rats, despite the challenges that come with age. The tradition of remembering those who have “crossed over the river” is a poignant reminder of the legacy we carry forward. Each name, each memory, each story reinforces the values instilled in us at VMI. As we continue to honor those who have passed, we also celebrate the lives of those still marching forward on life’s path. So, Ben says, as we move ahead, even as it is time for me to “hang it up” and pass the call-a-thon team torch on to a successor, let us continue to embrace the wisdom that comes with age. Slower, older, but smarter, we find comfort and peace in the journey, cherishing every moment with the 57 brother rats still standing with us. And so, without further ado, here are the last reports from our last call-a-thon: Team caller No. 2, Bill Gay: “Caught up with Dick Collier (major general long retired), who was at his office as usual, hard at work—no retirement for him. Dick said he was doing fine and enjoying time with his numerous kids and grandkids. Don Coombs recently had a WATCHMAN implanted. A WATCHMAN is a device to detect blood clots in the heart. All in all, Don said he is doing well and still plays golf weekly, usually with John Whittle or other former Keydets in the Roanoke area. Claiborne Coupland and wife Linda have moved into a condo near the harbor in Norfolk. He indicated he was recovering from a recent bout of sepsis, a bloodstream infection. Clay said he was in intermittent contact with B.D.

Ayres and John Poffenbarger. I was unable to reach Dave Davenport despite multiple calls and emails, so where are you, Dave? Tony Di Cesare, following retirement from his orthodontic practice for which his two sons have taken over the reins, has become an aficionado of the stock market. ... No tips were offered, nor any indication of success, or perhaps lack thereof. Unfortunately, Tony indicated he has developed a serious lung condition and will be seeing a specialist in NYC. Good luck, BR.

“Lew Diuguid returned my call, advising that he had been hospitalized with a serious cardiac issue but was treated aggressively and survived. He sounded a little weak, but OK ... wants to be remembered and appreciated and ended the call with ‘chins in.’

“Mark Doty, God bless him, is still working, teaching high school physics in his hometown of Bishopville, South Carolina. Mark sounded good and said he may even consider retiring after this year. If he holds to this threat, that will leave only Dick Collier and George Sydnor as members of the ‘’57 working class.’ Bill had also talked with George Sydnor, who regaled him recounting his 2-and-a-half year bout with skin cancer, including radiation and immunology treatments but was now on a stable recovery path, albeit the required use of a cane (our 60th Reunion class favor) and a walker. Bill replied: ‘Sorry to hear about your cancer and several falls, and glad you are OK. A walker ain’t so bad.’ I’ve been using one for a couple of years, as I have pretty bad spinal stenosis and have severe pain whenever I try to stand erect without support. I am still driving a car and manage to get around the house OK. But whoever said these were the ‘golden years’ was either ‘smoking something’ or dreaming of some illusory venue.’”

Team caller No. 8, Don Coombs: “I had a nice conversation with the daughter of Jack Trant. His 90th birthday celebration Aug. 9 was a little bit much, and he was subsequently hospitalized with pneumonia—last report, he is doing fine and in full recovery. They feel our call-a-thon program is great, and she will tell Jack all about our call. She went on to add that Jack and wife Jo are doing well considering their age—still in their home. No word from Armand Wagner down in Ware Neck in the Middle Peninsula area of Virginia, not far from Gloucester; not much heard from him in the last several years, but I hope he is doing OK.

“I was unable to reach Harry Warner and left him a voicemail message to return the call. Harry has a cousin who lives here at Brandon Oaks. Some time ago, we had visited Harry and wife Sis at the Kendal in Lexington, where they are in an assisted living facility. I’ll try to continue to

follow up on their status.

“John Whittle was at his doctor’s office when I caught up with him (class agent’s note: At our age, a doctor’s office is the center of our social life). Not really much to say as we play in the same golf group a couple of times each week. He has recently had some skin pre-cancer surgery (much like we all go through), but feels all went OK. John and I have visited Bob ‘Mad Dog’ Bolling, who has recently been admitted to a South Roanoke nursing home. I then had a great and lengthy conversation with Joe Wickes, who has moved into a retirement apartment in Rockville, Maryland. His wife, Joan, had passed away 2 years ago, but fortunately, their two daughters live close by and are a real comfort. He has had a hip replacement and has to use a walker, and doesn’t like to even walk the length of the hallway to get to the elevator. But Joe says he still has his old home, cooks for himself, and is able to drive to pick up ordered groceries.

“Fritz Scholz is his only living roommate, and he tries to stay in touch with him. A little history: Joe had had a long career with automation industries, which included sailing on the USS Long Beach working on missile systems, as well as a stint with Raytheon.

“I left a message for Jay Woodward requesting that he return the call. I had last talked with Jay this past January, and all was well with him and wife Polly—doing just fine at their home in Harwich on Cape Cod. I’ll see if I can get in touch with Vic Wolf, the ranchin’ man in Costa Rica. We were good friends during our cadetship at the ‘I’ along with Tim Maier. We hung out a lot together at the time.”

Kirk Hubbard sent a note on the May meeting of the Central North Carolina – Raleigh Chapter meeting he attended. In attendance and also representing the Class of ’57 was John Kuchnia. Kirk said Lynn Seldon ’83, a freelance writer living in Beaufort, South Carolina, and a contributor to numerous different magazines, was the speaker. He is the author of two fiction books, one entitled “Virginia’s Ring” and the other “Carolina’s Ring.” The second book is a story about The Citadel ring. He related having lived at Moody Hall for a lengthy period of time, where he was able to attend different events such as Ring Figure, Breakout, graduation, etc. The interesting part, I thought, was that he talked to both male and female cadets to get their input about and impressions of VMI. The talk was low-key and really quite interesting. VMI is a changed school; it’s good to get an idea of just how much.

Nick Kallelis, dusting old, old files, came upon the Roanoke Times Sunday, Nov. 27, 1955,

edition with coverage of our Class of ’57 Ring Figure. Naturally, it covered the Roanoke guys and featured none other than Carter Fox and the love of his life and future wife, Elinor Dodson of Galax and Salem College. The full page of them before the lighted inscription on the parapet was stunning. Then there was a side picture of Kirk Hubbard with Katherine Oliver of Birmingham, Alabama; one of Russ Davis and wife-to-be, Betsy Noff of Rocky Mount and Bridgewater College; and as class president, Russ and Betsy led our colorful Ring Figure that Thanksgiving weekend long ago. The last pic showed John Gardner and his date, Sarah Smother of Reidsville, North Carolina, and Salem College. Ah, memories of the past ... guys, that was 70 years ago. Writing this, George called Carter at his Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, living facility. Many laughs were shared ... great remembrances. Carter said, “Keep the calls coming.”

George just received a call from John Poffenbarger, who was in relatively good spirits. He is now in an assisted living rehab in his hometown of Charleston, West Virginia, in an effort to regain his mobility, as he must now use a wheelchair or a walker. John has talked often with Kirk Hubbard, always in good spirits and is doing well. The Poff also recently checked in with Katie Dickinson, widow of our legendary BR, the one and only K.K. Dickinson, and is glad to report that she is doing well. George talked with Joe Spivey on the occasion of his 90th birthday; his voice was weak but steady. Everyone has his own health issues/ battles as the 90s roll in, but we all must contend with these as best we can. And glad to report that his wife, Ann (“Annie Pooh”), is “fit as a fiddle.”

Since the last edition of these class notes, we have lost Wiley Clapp, who crossed over the river to rest under the shade of the trees June 5 due to cardiac arrest. There are 57 (a poignant number if there ever was one) of us still standing in ranks. George has talked several times with Nancy, Wiley’s widow, seeking information on Wiley’s varied career twists and turns. One story she had never heard was the search and destroy mission in which he was participating in Vietnam in the late ’60s. Wiley and his company had descended in a Huey onto the contested battlefield, and as they were embarking, a crew member tapped Wiley on the shoulder, yelling in his ear, “Sir, the pilot wants to have a word with you.”

Whereupon Wiley clambered back aboard, sliding up next to the pilot, who then raised his visor ... it was no other than BR Bill Huffcut, known as “wild Willie” for his daring exploits and fearless attack, attack, then attack again modus operandi. Bill looked at Wiley: “Good luck.” Wiley

just looked him in the eye, muttered, “Thanks, BR,” and rejoined his company. Nancy related as to how the Marine DNA was firmly implanted in Wiley, having a long family history of USMC service and its unparalleled heritage. She went on to say that VMI was the only place for Wiley, a long way from Pomona, California, from which he matriculated that fateful day Sept. 13, 1953, with our entering Rat Mass. As he lay in his hay that night, Wiley was heard to say, “I am in the right place.”

Before signing off on this edition of our ’57 class notes, we continue our honored tradition of remembering those brother rats who have “crossed over the river to rest under the shade of the trees.” Our 21st list of those gone but not forgotten Class of ’57: Gene Smith, Oct. 2, 2017; Doug Talbot, Dec. 9, 2017; Tom Ayres, Jan. 2, 2018; Frank Gilmore, Feb. 14, 2018; and Tom Vaughan, April 3, 2018. Rest in peace, brother rats who have passed, until at last, we are all reunited; close ranks, brother rats still standing, as we continue our march forward on life’s path into the vast unknown and whatever the future may bring. When you are young, speed and adrenaline seem to be great. But as you get older and wiser, you learn that comfort and peace are more important. This is called SOS: Slower, older, but smarter. Dedicated to all our brother rats who are, like me, now realizing that it is time to slow down and enjoy the rest of the trip.

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 Nick

By the time you read this, I will have celebrated my 90th birthday Oct. 10 with a party at the Branch Museum of Design, which is in our neighborhood. Constructed between 1917–19, it’s a cozy 28,000 square feet. It was designed by architect John Russell Pope, who also designed the Jefferson Memorial, the National Archives, and other Washington, D.C., landmarks. Here’s hoping those of you who were able to come to my party enjoyed yourselves. We’ll have photos in the next issue.

Elizabeth and Ernie Edgar took a recent trip

that Laura and I now have on our wishlist. The adjacent photo was taken on their Snake and Columbia Rivers cruise, which retraced the 1803–06 Lewis and Clark Expedition.

Here’s Ernie’s report: “Where to start! The views are spectacular! We boarded in Clarkston, Washington, and 9 days and 8 nights later, we had seen the Pacific from the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, then back to Portland, Oregan, then home.

“Essentially, we were following the expedition, and we had a superb historian on board to fill us in along the way, from the past to the present. And there was a lot to learn! Given the time and place when Lewis and Clark made their journey into the wilderness, it’s incredible they survived. But because they did, we became who we are from shore to shore, thanks in no small measure to President Thomas Jefferson and the Native American tribes along the way. We learned a lot about those instances as we visited various interpretive sites.

“There was lots of modern history to see, too. Mount St. Helens brought back memories of the congressional testimony when it blew. Today, a lot of the debris field has been replaced with new growth. Amazing! But nature has its way.

“Hanford, Washington, was built by the Corps of Engineers as part of the Manhattan Project. Not surprisingly, it has lots of engineer officer street names. I was wearing my VMI cap on the trip, and it turned out that our guide in Aurora, Washington, was the sister of Casey Jones ’55! His brother, whom we met later, is director of the Columbia River Maritime Museum, and we all shared our Casey stories. Memories of a departed and longstanding friend indeed.

“So much to share ... just a few highlights to include my Corps of Engineers predecessors in the Corps of Discovery, the U.S. Army term for the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Let me say, if you haven’t done this journey, put it on your bucket list!”

Thanks so much for this news, Ernie. In case any ’58 readers have forgotten, Ernie was an officer in the Corps for 34 years, capped by being selected commanding general/chief of engineers as his last assignment. My time in the Corps was very limited, as the U.S. and the U.S. Army were enjoying peace in the late ’50s. But I enjoyed my 12 years in the reserve.

Speaking of the Corps of Engineers, in June, Laura and I traveled to El Paso to see Lt. Col. Gary Cutler ’04 assume command of the 16th Engineer Battalion, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, at Fort Bliss. The 16th, founded in 1935, is known as the Catamounts, named for several types of European wildcats. Gary

made his first speech for the battalion, standing at a dramatic-looking podium in the shape of the Corps’ beautiful castle symbol, the same as we see on VMI faculty pins. So sorry we couldn’t capture or find a photo of it in its red glory. It went from the ground to waist level and was much wider than the usual podium.

We’ve known Gary since he was in high school and feel we had something to do with his decision to go to VMI instead of The Citadel. His parade ground ceremony was inspiring, and we also enjoyed visiting the battalion’s offices. Laura found it refreshing to see color and meaningful art and objects in a business-type environment, as that seems not the norm these days in corporate America, where gray prevails. We both loved the Catamount cat art, those fierce felines representing a proud 16th Battalion history that includes some tough duty in World War II—up from Africa into Italy. My uncle, Pete Mason, whose daughter, Sarah, you’ll read about later, made that dangerous trip with the Big Red One and had several dramatic and close brushes with death on his way from North Africa to Berlin.

It was also a pleasure to read the change of command ceremony program and see all the tough nicknames for other Army units Gary has served in: Iron Knights, Sapper Steel, and Steel Spike. The Catamounts’ motto is Semper Ultimo, “Always on Top.” Having been tested in combat in Afghanistan and Iraq, we know Gary is the right man to keep them there.

Jack Boze called to tell me about his recent, very enjoyable visit to VMI with his son, Brian. Jack was posing for Brian to photograph him standing next to the Cameron Hall sign that was funded by our class. He was concerned about Letcher Avenue being closed due to finals events, as he wanted to get to Memorial Hall and the museum. He saw someone in red athletic gear and asked him how to get up the hill. That someone in red was director of intercollegiate athletics, Jamaal Walton ’07, who offered them a ride that took the pressure off of Jack’s sore knees. Jack says he appreciated that ride very much. He also enjoyed visiting the museum and seeing the renewed baseball

diamond and other fields. “I came away with a warm feeling about the Institute,” he said.

Next stop, Lynchburg! “From 1946–48, when my father was still overseas, we lived on Warwick Lane,” Jack said. “I drove by the house and discovered a VMI Class of ’73 banner mounted on the front porch. There, I met Sandy McNamara ’73, who worked for the Alumni Association in the ’80s, and we spent several hours catching up on Institute events. My father sold the home to Sandy’s father.” What a great trip, Jack. I’ve met Sandy, too, as he was a BR of my brother, David McCown ’73. Guy Hence touched base from Taos, New Mexico, where he and June are now living. “Still blessed with good health for age 89,” he reports. Guy, hope you stay in good health and can make it to our reunion No. 70. In the latest Alumni Review, I noticed that the Class of ’55 has celebrated theirs.

We had a good lunch turnout of Richmond-area alums in August, once more at Buz and Ned’s Real BBQ. We may have to find a new place next time, as Buz has the business for sale. Showing up were Jack Cunningham, Brooke Doggett, Charlie Hayes, Becky and Onza Hyatt, Agnes Kump, us—Lee McCown and Laura Cameron, Jane and Stirling Williamson, Stuart Whitehurst, and Roy Palmer from the greatest distance, as he was in town from Washington state to check out places where he might choose to live. The last we heard, he’s still looking, right now in Florida.

While BR Tom Saunders died in 2022, he’s still a newsmaker, as is his wife, Jordan. Laura has been following the Sotheby’s auction of the portion of their art collection referred to as “Elegance and Wonder: Masterpieces of European Art.” There was a lot of publicity about this auction, including a sizable article in the New York Times giving details about Tom’s career.

We saw those beautiful paintings and other objects many times during the 3 years they were on loan from Tom and Jordan to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts here in Richmond. Opening in May 2022 shortly before Tom’s death, the collection filled seven colorful galleries and was a big hit with visitors. Sotheby’s used the same title for

the auction that VMFA used for the exhibit.

There were 80 items on display at VMFA, and 60 of those were offered at the May 2025 Sotheby’s auction in New York, again focusing on paintings done from the Renaissance to the 18th century, known as Old Masters. Some pre-auction reports deemed the collection to be worth $80-120 million. But auctions of art from this period are attracting less interest, and the auction outcome was $65 million. However, according to Sotheby’s, it was the most valuable collection of Old Masters ever sold in a single sale.

One of Laura’s friends joined her in choosing their favorites from the VMFA exhibit to follow in the results at the auction. Laura was thrilled that her pick of stunning twin landscape paintings of Venice by Francesco Guardi, offered as a pair, was considered the top sale at $10.5 million. The sale price on the beauty her friend favored was considerably lower. Congratulations, Laura and Jordan. And thank you, Jordan, for the pleasure of seeing your collection so many times just a walk away from home.

Speaking of beautiful Italian scenery, our granddaughter, Sattie Sanderson, offspring of daughter Sydney McCown Sanderson, earned her master’s degree in political science this summer in Florence. Her mother; sister, Frances; aunt, Dawn McCown; and cousins, Finley and Eliza McCown, all attended the ceremony. Her degree was conferred by James Madison University, where she also earned her undergraduate degree, and Sattie was chosen by her peers to give the commencement address. Notice the laurel “crown” she’s wearing in the adjacent photo, an ancient Roman tradition that she said was very heavy. We’re very proud of her and wish her the best in her employment pursuits.

Sydney’s twin brother, son Kevin, is with the State Department in Amman, Jordan. The circumstances he and his family are facing now are keeping us on edge: The shrinking of the State Department itself; his wife, Dawn’s, loss of her job with USAID; and their proximity to Israel, which Iran has attacked using missiles flying over Jordan. I was once a witness to that while on a phone call with Kevin. On a happier note, we’re hoping to see all of them for my 90th birthday in October.

Laura and I had a wonderful trip to New Hampshire in July, where we visited my cousin, Sarah Mason, whose father, Pete, I mentioned earlier. Sarah lives in Portsmouth, a lovely seaside town. She joined us to travel west to Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park in Cornish, the state’s only national park. The beautiful site was once an artists’ colony founded in the late 1800s by Augustus Saint Gaudens, one of America’s greatest

sculptors. The park had not had any staff reductions, so everywhere you looked, there was perfection. Statues were immaculate, gardens were in bloom, and hedges at least 10 feet high were exquisitely trimmed.

You’ll notice we’re using a hyphen in the park name but not in the sculptor’s. That’s because the National Park Service has chosen to use the hyphen, but the sculptor himself did not like it.

Augustus Saint Gaudens is renowned for, among many others, his 14-foot statue of Abraham Lincoln—known as the Standing Lincoln—which was commissioned by the city of Chicago as the centerpiece of a park there. Saint Gaudens gained that commission before moving to New Hampshire and was told by a friend who lived there that he would find “plenty of Lincoln-shaped men” in the area, a claim that proved true when he began looking for models. We’ve seen miniatures of this beautiful statue in the gift shop at the American Civil War Museum here in Richmond, and I’m trying to keep Laura from buying one, as our display space is filling.

The ranger giving our park tour let us know that calling the park’s version of the Lincoln statue a “copy” is not accurate, as it was made from the same mold as the original one made for Chicago. Thus, it’s a “recast.” Other renowned works by Saint Gaudens are statues of William Tecumseh Sherman on horseback (gilded) for the space near a Central Park entrance called Grand Army Plaza and another of Robert Gould Shaw, also on horseback, with marching soldiers representing the Black regiment he led (one of the first), commissioned for Boston Commons. He also designed some of the most beautiful and valuable U.S. coins made of gold.

The park is very close to Blow-Me-Down Farm—such a colorful name!—where we saw an exciting “Man of La Mancha” production by Opera North. All in all, a vacation we highly recommend.

On July 30, Laura and I attended the funeral of Dave Martin, the stalwart guard on our SoCon Championship football team of 1957. Dave is listed in the football roster for the 1957 Tech game at 170 pounds, but I’m guessing he never got above his high school weight of 158. But alongside center, Benny Day (listed at 185 but probably about Dave’s weight), they were two of the toughest interior linemen in college football at that time.

After VMI, where he was a civil engineering major, Dave was a financial planner for years. In 1984, he earned a master’s degree in business from the University of Richmond.

There was a large turnout at Central Baptist Church honoring Dave, and it was a pleasure to

see, on a big screen at the reception after the service, many family photos that included his wife, the lovely Annie Mae, who died in 2022.

Dave had been slowed considerably by neuropathy in later years and was no longer able to participate in ’58 activities, but I saw him regularly in the summer at his daughter, Julia’s, house around the corner from us, at the VCU Jazz concerts on Plum Street. Seated comfortably in the front yard, he was always in good spirits. Julia and her family have moved now, and we’ll miss them—and Dave and Annie Mae—this Sunday, when the concerts resume.

Dave is survived by David Jr. and daughters, Lori Conk, Julia Carr, and Treva Thomas, as well

as Doug Padgett, husband of his late daughter, Amy. Ten grandchildren and six great-grandchildren also survive him.

Dave has been honored with a class memorial donation to the Keydet Club Class of 1958 Football Scholarship Fund and is one of those honored by the fund. If any of you are so inclined, please make your own donation to the VMI Keydet Club, P.O. Box 932, Lexington, Virginia 24450. I had lunch with Paul Royer, and we reminisced about the day we matriculated at VMI—a rude awakening for the first day of “college.” Imagine being yelled at and addressed harshly by guys no older than you! But we survived it and climbed to the top of that hill (most of us) and look back on it with a certain fondness.

Please plan to be in reasonably good condition and attend our 70th Reunion in 2028 so we can celebrate the experience again. In the meantime, please let me know what you have been up to, even if it is just going to the grocery store and back. And I am sure you have grandchildren who have done remarkable things, so tell me about it so I don’t have to keep telling you about mine. That’s all for now. At the time of my next notes, I’ll be 90 years old! My mother lived to 95 with a good brain, so I’m optimistic about my future! My brain is not that great, but it was rinsed off last year and is still functional.

Lee

enjoy time with extended family.

Laura Loth wanted me to let all of the members of the class know she is immensely consoled and comforted by their notes and kind words, and welcomes any stories or memories that they deem appropriate to share with his daughter.

Bill and Connie Nebraska’s greatest delight in the last 5 months is the joy their great-granddaughter, Elizabeth, has brought into their lives. The family keeps them looped into the photo and video album, so they get to see her grow and develop. They don’t get to travel very far anymore, too many medical issues, and they have not seen Elizabeth in person yet. Bill is still planning to have the annual fishing trip in October in Ohio/Pennsylvania. This will be the 11th annual, and everyone still looks forward to this. It will include two sons and two grandsons this year. The fishing is secondary to family bonding that takes place every year. Sallie and Nowell Loop ventured to California in early June. Nowell joined his brother, along with his son-in-law and grandson, in camping for a week prior to a bluegrass festival over Father’s Day weekend. Sallie and their daughter joined them for a day and ventured north to Lassen Volcano Park for a short visit. All returned Monday, June 16, and Sallie and Nowell joined his son and his extended family for 8 days in Maui, leaving June 17 with both clean and fresh clothes. They returned home June 25 and took much time to recover from excellent weather, good food, and much family fun. They look forward to celebrating their two great-grandsons’ birthdays (ages 1 and 2) in August, just days apart. They feel they continue to be blessed with good health and much happiness with family close by.

they cleared a blockage in his right leg artery. He is still waiting for clearance to have his knee replacement, as well as a needed shoulder replacement. He is becoming our own Lee Majors, “The Million Dollar Man.” In the meantime, he still keeps hobbling around. Seems like all we have to talk about is our infirmities. Lee had lunch with Bob Haines and his daughter, Katri, at Laishley Crab House in Punta Gorda. The Florida group will remember it since that is the restaurant where we held our Punta Gorda mini reunion several years ago. Lee had to mention this hotel was the only time we had stayed in a modern hotel.

Lee and Nancy will be driving to Carmel, Indiana, to watch two of Christian’s games Aug. 22 and 29. Christian is a junior and already on the radar for some big D-1 schools. He is also at nearly top of his class academically. Lee finally got VMI to make contact with him. Let’s hope he likes VMI and all that it stands for. Here is a great story that tells you the type of man Christian is. Lee was watching the end of a NCAA March Madness game on a Friday night back in March. It was about midnight when he got a phone call from Christian telling him he was in a discussion with his friend about Armeniaism versus Calvinism (free thought versus predestination) and wanted my opinion. Think about that: A 16-year-old in a Bible study with his friend, Nate, on a Friday night. Then, in June, he comes to Lee’s house to hang out with him for 8 days during his football break and do Bible studies with him. How fortunate Lee is to have a grandchild like that. Definitely VMI material.

Larry Wood writes that, many years ago, Harry MacGregor remembered that Larry could do 20 pull-ups and Harry could only do a few, but when we gathered for our 60th Reunion, Harry took Larry down in the basement and challenged him on his chin-up bar. Harry did 10, and Larry couldn’t do any, 0, nada. Here he is this morning still doing at least 10.

Carl Kasko has found that moving in with his daughter and family has been very successful. She has been very considerate and loving. Carl stopped driving on major highways and at night and doing heavy work, but he still rides his stationary bike daily. Carl is celebrating a new addition to the family! His fourth great-grandchild, Claire, was born in December. Now that he has moved in with Cindy, he will have plenty of opportunities to

Jim and Miki Edmunds went to New York City for 4 days at the end of June. It was the first time Jim had been to NYC since a half day at the Bronx Zoo about 20 years ago. For some reason, he only remembers the gorilla enclosure from that trip! They stayed in Midtown on 79th Street and did a lot of walking, especially in Central Park, and even rode the famous carousel. It was cloudy most of the time, and they never saw the tops of the skyscrapers until the last day. They rode the Staten Island ferry, but the torch that the Statue of Liberty holds was obscured. They saw a Broadway show, “The Buena Vista Social Club,” which they thoroughly enjoyed. Times Square was fun, even if crowded, but they expected that! Jim even enjoyed the subway rides they took from one end of Manhattan to the other. These busybodies leave for Kauai for a week, so his next notes should be interesting.

Lee and Nancy Southard are doing fine. Lee just got out of the hospital for cellulitis. While in,

Bob Hobson’s daughter, Karla, writes that Bob is not able to type, so she will fill us in on his life at the moment. “Bob is still recovering from his broken hip. He was doing much better, but yesterday, he had a bad fall again and has injured his left knee. We are waiting for the X-ray results this morning and then will decide what needs to be done. At the moment, he is not able to put any weight on his leg at all but feeling optimistic that he will recover. He is so grateful for all the messages he received after his hip injury. He looks forward every time to me reading everyone’s updates, too. I’ll keep you posted as to how things go from here.” Thank you, Karla.

Bobby and Alice Ross are doing great and enjoying their living situation in their retirement home. Ralph Lawson lives close by and has done the same. Bobby and Alice have been in the retirement home for over 4 years now and love it. On July 25, the world-famous VMI Romeo Club (retired old men eating out) came to Richmond, and all got to have lunch together. A number of classes were represented, and a great time was had by all. 1959

Ralph came along with Bobby to represent ’59. Alice and Bobby spent 3 days at Virginia Beach recently and had an opportunity to have dinner with Joanne Fall at their hotel. Joanne is doing well, and it was good to see her.

Got a nice note from Ted and Ginny Harcke, who live in Wilmington, Delaware. Ted was spending a quiet day at home with Ginny after a week in Edinburgh, Scotland, visiting their son and his family. His granddaughter graduated from high school, and they did not want to miss the special occasion. Ted’s daughter is an AGR officer with the U.S. Army Florida National Guard stationed at Camp Blanding, Florida. He has not made it there for a visit since traveling is not an easy thing for him, but he is anxious to visit the post, especially the museum. Ron Marley and I used to visit the museum quite often. My father was with the 43rd Division when they activated at Camp Blanding at the beginning of World War II.

As a result, I have donated quite a bit of stuff related to the 43rd, including Japanese rifles, pictures, plaques, etc. Might be a great place to have a mini reunion or at least a luncheon.

This was a busy quarter for me. I flew up to Asheville, North Carolina, to visit my son, Brett Shepard ’87, and his wife, Lee. They recently purchased a beautiful mountain home on 7 acres of property on Black Mountain, North Carolina. Our first attempt to visit them was delayed. On

Class Notes

our way to the airport, we received a call from them telling us not to come because we would be unable to get to their house due to the flood. Fortunately, they did not have much damage, but there was a lot in the area. Despite all the damage, it is still a beautiful area, and we hope to get back up there soon.

Shortly after returning from Black Mountain, my daughter, Christine, and I flew out to Colorado Springs, where we attended my grand-nephew’s wedding. What a beautiful affair with hundreds of young people there and many relatives I have not seen in ages. After the wedding, we stayed around for a few more days to visit with my sister, Susan Mease, widow of our brother rat, Bud Mease, and a couple of nieces and take in some of the local attractions, such as Garden of the Gods. We had a great time, and we hope to make it out West again in the near future.

Keep those cards and letters coming in. Yours in the Spirit, Shep

1960

James

A. Smith III

Greetings from Lexington, Virginia. Not much exciting has happened since our 65th Reunion. The Class of 2025 has graduated, and summer school has begun. The Institute is quiet. There are efforts to provide security on post being taken. A wall has been erected on the far end of the Parade Ground. Locks are being placed on the doors in barracks, as well as new windows being installed. The locks are not a reflection of the honor system but represent new “security” measures in barracks that have been mandated. Gen. Wins ’85 departed his post July 1, and Brig. Gen. Dallas Clark ’99 served as interim superintendent until the BOV hired a permanent replacement, Lt. Gen. David Furness ’87.

This edition of our notes begins with a note of sadness. Brother Rat Jim Pittman passed away May 29, 2025. His obituary is as follows: “Colonel James A. Pittman passed away May 29, 2025. He is predeceased by his wife of 57 years, Nancy G. Pittman; his parents, Colonel Wayne C.Pittman and Dorothy G. Pittman; and his older brother, Colonel Wayne C. Pittman Jr. He is survived by daughters, Susan K. Markham and Karen and Rodd Andrews; grandchildren, Megan Latham, Katie Andrews, Corey Markham,

and Samantha Stampo; great-grandson, Desmond Latham; brothers, Lieutenant Colonel Lester and Clare Pittman and Reverend David and Alene Pittman. Colonel Pittman attended Virginia Military Institute for pre-med and the University of Mississippi School of Medicine for his M.D. degree. Following his internship, he served as a flight surgeon with the 23rd TFS in Germany with F-105s and then F-4s. He then did a residency in obstetrics and gynecology. He was an early advocate of nurse-midwifery and developed a ‘team approach’ to OBGYN care, utilizing midwives, nurse practitioners, and physicians. After being promoted to colonel in 1978, he assumed the role of chairman of OBGYN at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Medical Center, also chairing the residency program. He was appointed as an associate professor at Wright State University and served as a consultant in OBGYN to the Air Force surgeon general. His final tour in the Air Force was in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Health Affairs, where he was involved in designing the quality assurance program for tri-service hospitals. He was appointed as a consultant in quality assurance to both the AF surgeon general and the secretary of defense. Following his retirement from the Air Force, he served as a consultant to the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, assisting hospital medical staff in preparing for accreditation inspections. Over the ensuing 12 years, he served as a medical director in two hospitals and a health plan, with a focus on quality and accountability in medicine. He was ordained an elder in the Presbyterian church in 1983 at Glenkirk Presbyterian Church, Beavercreek, Ohio. After retiring for the third time, he became a docent at the Washington National Cathedral and assisted his wife with her numerous volunteer activities. He employed his hobby of photography in all these endeavors, publishing several works on iconography at the cathedral and in interior design magazines, featuring both show houses and the homes of interior designers. He initiated the website and pictorial directory for Greenwich Presbyterian Church. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the Greenwich Presbyterian Church at 15305 Vint Hill Rd., Nokesville, VA 20181, greenwichpres.org/.”

Our class sent flowers. Jim was always very helpful with our reunions. He kept our booklet of deceased brother rats up to date. He was a frequent participant at Bayliss scholarship award ceremonies and other class functions.

On June 28, John Olsen celebrated his next birthday. I did not speak with John but left him a voicemail birthday message.

On July 3, I had a nice conversation with Gerry

Hermann, wishing him a happy birthday. Gerry is well. July 4 has come and gone. I hope you all had a good holiday.

On July 6, I had a long phone conversation with Doc Mallory. He got birthday wishes and information about what is going on with VMI. Doc was very active in alumni affairs for a long time. Ruth and I had the pleasure of an Alaskan inland passage cruise from July 15–30. Good food, beautiful country, and cool weather. We saw yet

another glacier, but once you’ve seen one glacier, you’ve seen them all, I think.

Sometime after the reunion, I received a wonderful note from Toot Barr just checking on me, as I had been ill during our reunion. He also celebrated his next birthday July 31. Toot is in great shape compared to the rest of us.

On June 4, I got a phone call from Ed Smith’s wife, Janet, to let us know that Ed passed away May 21 after a prolonged illness. Ed was our class valedictorian, as well as an accomplished physician. In his retirement, Ed became a masterful woodworker. He has no obituary. While Ed had not returned to VMI, we enjoyed many long birthday phone calls.

On Aug. 5 and 6, Bill Enniss and Frank Fox had their next birthday. I never get to speak to Bill, only his wife’s voicemail. Frank has no vein of communication.

On Aug. 11, Henry Shirley celebrated his next birthday. Henry has been in a retirement home since October 2024. We had a long conversation regarding his career in the Air Force. He reminded me that he was in the VMI Air Force ROTC office for 3 years during his career.

On Aug. 12, I spoke with Walt Witchard on his next birthday. He has been dealing with health issues but is doing OK now.

It is time to end this edition of our class notes. Hap Miller continues to provide us with current class rosters, an invaluable gift. Hap and I had lunch recently, and he brought me a box of reunion material from Jim Pittman. We must keep in touch, as our numbers are dwindling. Please remember our class’ Tumlinson award. We will give out the next Bayliss award next month, so remember to donate if you are able. Please stay in touch. Please note it is a privilege for me to be your class agent.

In the Spirit,

Jimbo Smith

Vitale Jr.

Summer is half over, and I haven’t even taken a swim in my daughter’s pool. Where has the time gone? In my case, I spent a lot of time in doctors’ offices and a couple of days in the hospital. For some reason, I have been retaining water, and this has, as you can imagine, impacted my heart. I’m working very hard to bring things under control so

that I’ll be ready to attend our 65th Reunion with all of you. A special thanks to all those who called, emailed, or sent me a note wishing me a quick recovery. Sue and I were able to attend the brother rat gathering at Amelia Island, Florida. My daughter, Cathy, and her husband, Mark, volunteered to drive us, and we took him up on it. It was great to be able to see Clayton and Jan Smith; Robert Williamson and his wife-to-be, Kay Seagrave; Dude Copenhaver and Lee Crow; Harold and Cilia Kurstedt; Ray and Sally Hanlein; Bob and Bronnie Polk; David Harbach and Sandra Coleman; and Charlie and Margie Finnigan Harbach, Copenhaver, and their ladies played golf, and only Harbach and Sandra actually finished 18 holes and played again the next day. Clayton and Jan Smith did not play golf due to back and other issues. Hanlein has retired from golf, and Copenhaver has lots of aches and pains. Finnigan is feeling OK, as is Polk. Neither brother rat played golf. Harold Kurstedt never ceases to amaze me. He is slow in moving, but nothing stops him. To still call the gathering a golf outing, Clayton Smith arranged for us to play miniature golf, and we all had a great time. Clayton picked great restaurants—all within walking distance—and, after dinner, many of us stopped by the ice cream shop and indulged. Sue was finally released from her hip doctor, and she was free to finally bend down. Translated, this meant I was relieved from duty as her personal maid. Sue is doing OK, all things considered. Forty years ago, I was a member of The Engineering Society of Baltimore. The historic building is still beautiful, and the chef is outstanding. I rejoined, and Sue and I attended the black-tie Heritage Dinner. (Yes, my tux still fits.) My grandson, Jackson Cross, took me to an Orioles game at Camden Yards. The last time I was at Camden Yards was for the ballpark dedication. In July, we took our first long car trip, and it was to visit Bill and Joyce Gibbings in Virginia Beach. Bill is very quiet and reads and sleeps a lot. I could not engage him in a spirited conversation. One night, we went to Steinhilber’s for shrimp, and it was great. On our way back to Maryland, we were supposed to visit Larry and Joann Respess, but Sue’s IBS and my body said go right home, and we did. Larry had arranged a dinner party at an upscale restaurant, and those attending were the Wetsels, Woodcocks, and Willard Hoskins. In late July, we attended a crab feast, and the crabs were very large and full like the old No. 1s. Unfortunately, the Old Bay impacted me (salt), and Sue called 9-1-1, and I was off to the hospital for dewatering. Sue’s 84th birthday was Aug. 11, when I started writing these notes. Our daughter, Cathy’s, birthday is Aug. 13, so we celebrated both at a barbecue at our daughter,

Barbara’s, house. She has a pool, and I still did not go in. Too cold! Sue and I need to socialize more, and it has been tough. Sometimes we wonder if we should have gone to an assisted living facility. We recently signed up for watercolor classes. What a hoot!

Our first class silver dinner in Tyson was in April, and it was suggested that we should do it again, and we did it again in July. Attending were Carl Hirsch, Larry Respess, Jack Miller, Ed Doleman, Kenner Rice, Holmes Smith, Larry Wetsel, Ray Hanlein, John Tharrington, Bill Hill, and me. Raine Gilbert was in Massachusetts, and Bill Braithwaite had a conflict. This was Kenner’s first time; he enjoyed himself and said, “I will be at the next one for sure.” The trip from Williamsburg to Tysons Corner was again made by Wetsel and Respess Wetsel “conned” Respess into driving his car both ways. (Wetsel tends to doze off. Smile.) We have a great silver dinner group picture, but the Review only allows me five, and I had to pick.

We have had more than our share of funerals this quarter: Battle Haslam, John Rudibaugh, Rhett Clarkson, and Bill Haeberlein and spouses Marti Hayden and Lynda Kelly. Attending funerals is a challenge for many of us, but I am proud to say that at least a representative from the class was at each brother rat service. For Battle, the family arranged to have two locations: Asheville, North Carolina, and Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Attending Trinity Episcopal Church were Larry and Jeri Wetsel, Bryan and Susan Haslam ’90, Harrison and Terri Fridley, and Matt and Jill Henning ’90 At the Chapel of the Cross, those attending were Charles Bryan Jr. ’69, Charles Bryan, Dave Harbach, Fred Ayers, Paul Johnston, and Bryan Haslam ’90. Paul Johnston was asked by the family to do a reading. Going to Labadieville, Louisiana, for the Bill Haeberlein funeral on short notice was difficult at best, but Mitch Kot and Larry Wetsel flew to New Orleans, rented a car, and made it on time. Bill’s daughters, Nicole Perryman

and Lara Daniels, especially appreciated the visit, as did Sylvia Haeberlein. John Tharrington planned to attend John Rudibaugh’s funeral, as did I, so Sue invited John to stay with us the night before to reduce travel time. Tharrington was asked by the family to provide “remembrances” and was asked to meet the minister early. I was driving, I-95 traffic was terrible, and John had doubts about being on time. I reengaged my old New York driving habits, and we arrived on time with 2 minutes to spare. At the funeral were Larry and Jerri Wetsel. Larry knew John, as they both were in the railroad business. We met John’s grandson, John Perez ’26. When the grandson visited VMI, Rudibaugh took a picture of them on the “Vitale bench.” Maybe we can do it again with me at John’s graduation. As you probably realized by now, Larry Wetsel gets around. How he does it amazes me. The last bad news I received was that Rhett Clarkson passed. The family requested a private service for family and some friends. Attending the funeral were Bill Daniels, Dick and Judy Youngblood, Dorsey Pender, John Mills ’63, Blair Bickford, Caroline Mabry, and Nancy Eddy Bruce. I talked to Bill Daniels, and he said Blair Bickford and Judy Youngblood have mobility problems. Bill Nelm’s wife, Connie, was ill, and they did not make it. I talked with Jan Clarkson, and she said she and Caroline Mabry plan to be at the 65th Reunion. I only hope several other widows will join us. I called Elizabeth Wharton (Battle’s companion), and we talked for a long time. She hopes the class will stay in touch (esd.wharton@gmail.com). I told her we try to have our widows involved in class activities. Shirley Hartford got her leg brace off and was released for PT and driving. Now her hip is hurting. Gaylia Hudgins is my choice as the lady energizer bunny. Gaylia spends a lot of time out West, both in the summer and winter, as a volunteer at the National Elk Refuge and Grand Teton National Park. I enjoyed the Facebook pictures of her hiking on

the Cache Creek Hagen Trail and String and Leigh Lakes and the road to Cody, Wyoming, Buffalo Bill country. Nancy Preston is doing OK as a single person, which she never hoped to be.

Tom Phlegar and two of his grandsons took a 6-day cruise from Norfolk to the Bahamas. Tom is the vice president of an association called Griffon Associates, which raises money for veterans, supports reserve units, and provides scholarships for students of reserve soldiers. One of Tom’s grandsons received $8,000 while attending school. Griffon Associates sponsors a golf tournament, and anyone interested in playing should let Tom know. Tom keeps asking why we can’t have a class cruise. Good idea. Is anyone interested? Hill Browning has been attending breakfast with other old VMI guys. Hill neglected to tell me who. Paul and Rae Goldman are coming to D.C. in October for Paul’s birthday and celebrating with his family. I hoped to help him celebrate. Lee Badgett’s daughter, Nancy, turned off Lee’s phone. Nancy sent several pictures of Lee, and he looks great. (Sorry, no picture space.) Rod and Doris Hudgins cannot travel very easily. Rod’s eyesight is very poor, and Doris can’t walk. Holmes Smith is now a great-grandfather thanks to his youngest grandson, Holmes Tucker Smith. Yes, Holmes is still working. Bill Keech was on an Honor Flight to visit the Washington War Memorials and placed a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. What an honor. Bill sent me a picture, but again I ran out of picture space. Sorry! Bill is still struggling with A-fib, and Marci is having some vertigo issues. Gerry Eubank is doing OK. Gerry talks to his son, Gen. Chris Eubank ’91, every Sunday, and I hear Chris was called by the VMI search committee about his interest in the superintendent position. What an honor, but Chris is still active Army and who knows what he will eventually rise to. In June, Lou and Jane Kiger took their family of 18 on a vacation to Oak Island, North Carolina. There, they met with Bert and Kent Modine and had dinner with them. Lou has gone through a medical procedure to ablate the nerves in his back. Hopefully, it will relieve the pain. Sally and Ray Hanlein met up for lunch with Mary and Spike Callander Spike finally started his PT and will be going twice a week in addition to his 3 days of dialysis. Ray said Spike was in good spirits, but

very weak. Mitch and Jennifer Kot plan to attend the Williamsburg event. The only glitch in their plan is Mitch having to travel to Vietnam with an attorney to get permission from the government to teach business owners, as he has done for many years. Richard Murray just completed writing another book on the Civil War entitled “The Civil Wars of General Joseph E. Johnston: Confederate

States Army – Volume I: Virginia and Mississippi, 1861–1863.” Richard is in OK health. Roy Whitehouse is enjoying life in Colorado Springs at his over-55 community. He said it is a “big hotel for old folks.” Jud McLester said, “thanks,” to those brother rats who contributed to the Alzheimer’s Walk in honor of his wife, Shelia. Jud and Suzy, Sue Patrick, and Peggy Alligood will be in Williamsburg. Bill Hala is enjoying his home in Canada on the lake. His health is still a challenge. Tom Rutledge and his friend, Cynthia, and several family members took a Viking River Cruise from Paris to Normandy. I suggested to Tom that he keep count of the number of American flags flying daily in Normandy, and my guess is that the number will be more than the entire state of Virginia. Honey Tarrell will retire sometime in the fall. He said his eyes were very tired, and he is not seeing well. Other than that, he and Marilynne are doing OK. For Dave Harbach’s birthday, Sandra (his companion) planned 2 days of golf at the Botetourt Golf & Swim Club just north of Roanoke, and it is a superb course. His birthday dinner was at Luigi’s in Roanoke, and the food was very disappointing. The two are off on a cruise on the Snake and Columbia Rivers. Bob Reitz is again working on having George Marshall ’901 recognized in the U.S. Army Ranger Hall of Fame. Bob feels the general will be inducted this year. Bob and Suellen Reitz celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary by vacationing in Cherokee, North Carolina, so they could gamble. Bob can’t wait to write to the next superintendent to see if he answers. Gen. Wins ’85 did not, but Gen. Peay ’62 did, and I am sure Gen. Furness ’87 will. Bob and Jeannie Burks are not doing well. They tried to be admitted into an assisted care facility but were refused due to their health. Wyatt Durrette’s health is questionable. Those who have seen him say he looks tired. Dave Thomas (our swimmer) said he gets tired easily. His gait is anything but smooth, and he wobbles. Edwina has tendonitis in her foot, wears a boot 24 hours a day, and is in a wheelchair. Bob and Bronnie Polk finally met up with Bob and Sue Winslow. They live near each other in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. Sue is from St. Louis and a Red Bird fan. They plan to spend more time together. Larry Wetsel attended the rat send-off in Portsmouth, Virginia. There were 30

potential “new cadets,” along with about 135 parents and friends. Larry said Ben Lynch was there with a lady companion, and Ben looked OK. Betty Hudgins misses our get-together at Southport and Lexington. Lou and Pris Shuba are doing OK. Lou has a pacemaker and is feeling better. He still lacks energy, and his legs don’t want to cooperate, so no gardening. Pris’ foot is still an issue. Lou talks to Weede and Dyer. Their health is about the same. I called Troy Jones on his birthday July 4. His dementia has increased, and he is not doing well. Andy Myruski is good, except for back problems, and his last spinal blocker isn’t working as well as before. As I was finishing up these notes, I received a call from my old rat roommate, Tom Whalen. Three years ago, Tom lost a leg due to poor circulation. Recently, he lost his other leg. Tom is living in Wilmington, North Carolina, with his daughter. In spite of what I think is a tragedy, Tom is in great spirits. Bill Braithwaite missed our Tysons get-together, so we agreed to meet in Annapolis for lunch, and we did. Bill’s wife is in good health, as are his children and grandchildren. Bill is actually retired but teaches classes to undergraduates he likes when he wants. Bill is a well-read read, learned man, and we talked about many subjects. We agreed to do it again. Mike Pitt ’60 is in hospice and on oxygen 24/7, so they don’t get out much anymore. Mike is a bit low since Johnny Butler and Donny Wise are gone. Do you remember the visit to Arlington Cemetery and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with Ken Ederle’s daughter, Megan Ederle? Megan retired from the Army in March, traveled a lot, and moved back to New York to be with her mom. She hasn’t decided on her next career plans and will keep us in the loop. I just learned that Stu Crow’s family requested that Stu’s remains be moved from the Florida Veterans Cemetery to Arlington National Cemetery. Dude Copenhaver and Stu’s family worked hard to make the arrangements for an “inground” burial, which Stu was entitled. The service was held Labor Day weekend. Larry and Joann Respess are in good health. I still have my Friday afternoon bourbon with Larry Respess. The discussion topics have drifted away from the Alumni Association and VMI administration to good wine and food, which Larry is an expert in. (Smile). George Collins ’62 emailed me that he enjoys reading our column. George now lives in Miami, Florida. Other alumni told me that if they want to see their name in the Review, all they need to look at is Sal’s column. (Smile.) A brief bio of those brother rats who recently passed away follows: Brother Rat Rhett Clarkson passed during the early hours of June 20, 2025. Rhett was truly a VMI man and an entrepreneur. His

Class Notes

dedication to the class, Institute, and his family was outstanding. Rhett established the 1961 Scholarship Endowment in 1976 for use by our class’ relatives. Governor Allen appointed Rhett to the VMI Board of Visitors, where he served for 8 years. Rhett was a lifelong member of the Keydet Club, having served as president and on the Board of Governors. His loyalty to VMI was further exemplified by serving as a member of the VMI Foundation Board of Trustees and the George C. Marshall Board of Trustees.

Rhett earned a civil engineering degree, graduated, and entered the Army for 2 years. In 1968, after 2 years with a private corporation, he founded Virginia Precast Corporation and was CEO for 21 years until he sold the company. He remained as a regional manager for ESSROC and then later as a consultant for Americast. VPC was a leader in the manufacturing of precast concrete structures for highway drainage and wastewater.

Over the years, Rhett served on numerous community and business-related boards: His civic responsibilities included chairman of the Public Safety Commission of the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Strike Force, member on the State Air Pollution Control Advisory Board, Virginia Utility Contractors Council, chairman of the Public Safety Committee of the Governor’s Commission on Government Reform, Horne Engineering Company and Small Business Advisory Board, and past board member of the Elk Hill Farm Home for Boys, Windsor Farms Association.

William “Bill” Joseph Haeberlein, a native of Pennsylvania and a previous long-time resident of Albany, Georgia, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, passed away at his home Friday, May 23, 2025. Bill was a biology major and, after graduation, entered the Army as an infantry officer. While in Korea, Bill was assigned to a special service unit where he played for the Army football team as a guard, the position he played at VMI. We all remember those exciting Saturdays, winning football games, and the outstanding playing of Haeberlein and his roommate, Lou Shuba. Bill, a starter for 2 years, was awarded an honorable mention by the Southern Conference.

Bill entered the pharmaceutical world in 1964 and rose to regional sales manager for the Pfizer Corporation. Bill’s territory was the state of Pennsylvania, and he was an outstanding salesperson. Bill established a VMI football scholarship, which Bill and many of our brother rats funded. Bill was a lifelong member of the Keydet Club, and VMI inducted him into the VMI Hall of Fame.

Bill met his wife, Sylvia, while he was at summer camp and attended a dance. After his discharge from the Army, they were married and

raised three children, two girls and a boy. The family spent many years in Albany, Georgia, the home of George of Moonshine. (Smile.) Then, one day, Sylvia convinced Bill to return to her beloved state, Louisiana. Bill always had a smile, and his legacy of love, dedication, and respect will live on in our hearts forever.

Aug. 15 was a victory for VMI. A new superintendent was announced by the BOV, Lt. Gen. David Furness ’87. I believe kudos to the Cadet Newspaper editors for bringing us accurate news about the superintendent candidates. I believe it helped all of us get a better understanding of their qualifications. It is my hope that Superintendent Furness will approve the permits The Cadet editors have been asking for the last 4 years, so they can operate and publish The Cadet newspaper efficiently. (Hint.) The last issue of the Alumni Review (2025-Issue 3) contained the Code of the Cadet and the VMI Alumni Credo. What did you think? Both are full of the right words, although the Code of the Cadet shows, in my view, the DEI influence. Do the cadets have to memorize this? Was this necessary? I think the VMI Alumni Credo is insulting. I do not need a credo “guiding principle or set of principles” as defined by Merriam-Webster to know how to be a gentleman. I learned how to at VMI. I am surprised the Alumni Association didn’t add something about contributing.

In case you did not receive my email announcing our 65th Reunion, it will be April 13–14, 2026. Class headquarters is the Hampton Inn Col Alto, located in downtown Lexington. A block of rooms has been reserved for you, and the block ends March 13, 2026. When you call 540-600-3410, select “1” for existing reservations, and that will direct you to the desk in Lexington. Breakfast is part of the room rate. Monday is the reunion check-in at VMI Moody Hall. Dinner Monday night is sponsored by the Alumni Association and is optional. Tuesday, the class lunch and dinner will be catered. If you can only be at VMI for 1 day, make it Tuesday for the memorial service, parade, picture, and class dinner with a guest speaker. Transportation to and from the hotel to VMI will be provided by the Alumni Agencies. In charge of our reunion is Brooklyn J. Shehan, VMI reunion event coordinator. She can be reached at bshehan@vmiaa.org. Please mark your calendars before you forget and make a reservation now. It can be canceled if you change your mind. More information to follow.

I don’t know if you noticed it, but our class notes are getting closer to the front page. Stay well. God bless the USA; our troops; our new superintendent, Lt. Gen. Furness; and all of you. I also pray the new superintendent will make us proud.

Class Notes

1962

Edmund R. Strickler

John Mott Robertson

I am sorry to report that Ed Northrop’s wife, Joan, passed away May 15. Ed and Joan met on a blind date in October 1960 while she was attending Southern Sem. They were married Dec. 29, 1962, in freezing cold Kenosha, Wisconsin. They were married for over 62 years. Ed served in the U.S. Army as an infantry officer. Joan was his rock and calming nerve center during their many challenges of life in the military. After he retired from the Army, she then became a bookkeeper for the family business.

Diane Kohout, wife of our Brother Rat Bill Kohout, passed away March 28. Together, Bill and Diane had a love of hiking and hiked many trails in New Jersey and New York and even in destinations as far as Hawaii and Florida. They had two daughters, one of whom became an F-16 pilot and the first woman to fly the F-117 Stealth Fighter.

Art Swisher’s wife, Sallie, died Aug. 19, 2024. Sallie graduated from Randolph-Macon Woman’s College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology. She received her master’s degree in counseling from the College of William & Mary, a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Counseling from Boston University, and a doctorate in counseling/ school psychology from George Mason University. In her 30-year career in education as a special education teacher and school psychologist, Sallie was privileged to work with outstanding colleagues and serve students and their families in Virginia, Texas, Florida, and the Department of Defense schools in Germany. She also was an adjunct professor for the College of Education of St. Petersburg College.

George Barnes retired for good in January and is getting used to sleeping a bit later and more time for golf. He was fortunate to be able to work for as long as he did and did so because he wanted to, not because he had to. Thanks to VMI, Col. Morgan ’45, and Col. Jamison ’57, George developed a love for engineering and worked in the water and wastewater fields for over 50 years, mostly with the city of Atlanta. He was able to meet and work with the heads of all the major

water utilities in the U.S. through associated professional organizations. He also got to travel to Japan, Spain, and England to attend conferences and present technical papers.

Bill Ritchie has had an eventful past year. They lost their home and all contents with Helene, and then Milton took the roof off. They moved into his sister-in-law’s house in St. Pete. It was a long commute to his grandson’s pitching for the local

high school; their son’s house, which also got flooded; and Bill’s work at St. Pete College, so after 8 months, they leased a place much closer. He gave up sailing due to balance issues, and the hurricanes sealed the deal. They have been trying to downsize for 5 years with very little success. Bill seems to think that God thought 5 years was long enough, and so He took care of the problem Himself. Of their 14 grandchildren, only three have families, but the six great-grands keep them busy. Fortunately, he is still teaching Spanish at the college. He doesn’t think they know how old he is. It is hard to believe that they have children in their 60s. I think that is true for all of us!

Cal Seybold and three family members took a 13-day “bucket list” trip to Europe. Rather than try and paraphrase what Cal sent, I will just let you read it for yourself. “I and three other members of my family just spent 13 days in Europe visiting Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Hungary, and the Czech Republic. It was a great, ‘bucket list’ trip, but it had several town walking tours of 3-6 miles, which just wore this ‘fat, old man’ out. However, I did not embarrass myself by falling out or failing to complete the tour. The following is a brief summary of what we did/saw in each country. Germany: We started the tour by going to Heidelberg, Germany, and its old castle. Heidelberg has the oldest university in Germany and is probably the third oldest in Europe. Switzerland: We toured the Swiss Alps, where the first 007, James Bond movie, ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’ was filmed in the early 1960s. The scenery of the Alpine grandeur was breathtaking, but also very dangerous, as evidenced by the recent avalanche of snow and mud reported there. Liechtenstein: A little landlocked country between Switzerland and Austria, which if you blink, you could miss it. We all got off the bus and went to their ‘tourist office’ to get our passports stamped with a Liechtenstein visa/entry stamp. It is a very pretty and pleasant little country. Austria: We first toured Salzburg, where in 1756, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born; then we went to Vienna, where we saw the Spanish Riding School, where the Lipizzaner horses are trained and presented. The horses were on tour when we visited, but we did get to tour the facilities; it was interesting. There were so many very famous things to see and do in Vienna that it was worth a tour all by itself. Hungary: We toured Budapest, which is the capital of Hungary. At the end of World War I, Hungary lost 71% of its land, so the country is a ‘shadow’ of its pre-World War I grandeur. We visited ‘The Lazar Brothers Equestrian Park (the Puszta)’ with several horse acts before leaving Hungary. Czech Republic: We visited and toured Prague as

the final country before returning to Germany and home. Our Prague city walking tour was impressive, with time spent in the Prague Castle and the surrounding city. Prague is one of those cities that just seems to welcome and pamper visitors.

The next day, we returned to Frankfort, Germany, for the flight home.”

John Spence writes that he is enjoying life right now in Beaufort, North Carolina, watching the boat traffic and enjoying a cold beer. His great-granddaughter, Cora, is a “race car driver” with her new walker! Everyone has to be vigilant as to where she is, or she’ll take you down! John brought some of his family, including his grandson, Colton, to VMI Legacy Day this past April. Colton’s teacher recently asked each of her students to draw a picture and describe an activity they would like to do this summer. Colton said, “I want to go back to VMI!” That made John very happy!

After I sent out the link to the article on the Bedford Boys on D-Day, I received a nice email from Doug Fielder’s widow, Scott. She had just returned from her 60th reunion at Randolph Macon Woman’s College and was passing through Bedford. She had time before she had to be in Lynchburg, and the father of one of her classmates was one of the Bedford Boys, so she decided to stop and visit the D-Day Memorial and found it very interesting.

Bill Bryant recently sent some very interesting information. After graduating from the Institute, Bill and Cynthia became close friends with Carol and Jay Bierman (Jay passed away in 2012), and Bill was known as “Uncle Bill” by their children. There is a nice picture of Bill with the four Bierman children when Chip was probably 5-6, but, being an old photo, it was too grainy to print in the Review. Jay’s family has a long tradition of service. Jay’s father went to Annapolis and served in World War II. Jay’s older brother went to West Point, and a sister went to Annapolis. Jay’s son, James “Chip” Bierman ’87, recently retired from the Marine Corps as a lieutenant general. Chip’s 38-year career made all the stops—battalion commander and Iraq and Afghanistan, assistance to the commandant. One of his last assignments was commander of the 3rd Marine Division stationed on Okinawa. Bill and Carol attended his retirement ceremony at the Marine Barracks in Washington, D.C., last June. Upon his retirement, he accepted the position as commandant of

cadets at Texas A&M. Eldridge and Erika Blanton recently returned from a trip to Germany. Rather than try to paraphrase what Eldridge sent me, I will let him tell you. “You wanted to hear about the trip, so here’s probably more than you bargained for. The occasion for our trip was the 60th birthday of Erika’s nephew and godson, Niki Bendel. He was born in ’65 when I was still in Germany. Fast-forward to the early ’80s. There was no American football at all in Germany other than what the American units would play among themselves. (De Worrell played for the V Corps team.) Niki took it upon himself to lobby some American officers to teach young Germans how to play American football. At first, it was nothing more than sandlot play. Over time, it grew to an organized team, which of course, needed to have other teams to play against. There are two Google sites that I would recommend to you. One is the German Football League, and the other is Siegfried Gehrke. These dots will come together in a moment. Sigi became the coach of the Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns in ’83. They weren’t much to write home about at first. Sigi himself didn’t grow up with American football. Niki talked me into trying to arrange an internship with Sigi at VMI, which I did. He went there, unpaid, and only wanting to absorb all he could. He slept on a cot in the athletic offices and somehow got enough to eat, but he came back to Germany ready to compete. He was 26 years as a coach and won two German Bowl titles (their version of the Super Bowl) in 2011 and 2012, as well as runner-up 3 other years. So all in all, this is a success story in international relations, and VMI can claim a small part in that. GFL play is roughly equivalent to American college FCS play. The Unicorns could probably play on an equal footing

with James Madison or teams like UR but not up to par with the likes of UVA and Tech.”

Tom Henriksen sent information about an essay he recently published on what the Russians are doing in the Baltic and Arctic regions and what we have to do. He titled it “The Coming Northern Showdown.” He discusses the following: No matter how the Ukrainian war ends—win, lose, or draw—for the contenders, another political and military hotspot is likely to erupt in the Baltic Sea and nearby Arctic Ocean. Even a change in the Russian Federation’s leadership from Vladimir Putin to another dictator is unlikely to spare the Far North from conflict. Territorial annexation lies deep within Russia’s DNA. It makes for interesting and somewhat disturbing reading.

Marc Muth writes that whenever he feels nostalgic for the Institute, he looks at his shadow box. He said it actually was his first command, as it often turned out that he was the ranking cadet, classwise, on the penalty tour detail. Not with coatees and shakos, but you get the idea. Dick Carlisle was Marc’s roommate, who went to excess and got thrown out. He went to Arizona and graduated before we did! He just didn’t take demerits seriously. Marc did, but C.J. (some of you know who that was) or somebody would catch him improperly dressed or whatever. Col. Smith ’43 nailed him twice. Personally, I remember that they told us that demerits would not count for the first grading period our rat year, so I didn’t worry about it. They left out the small detail that if you went excess, you had to march penalty tours even if the demerits didn’t count, so I marched a bunch!

Jerry Burnett reports that he and Joy are still in good health in South Boston, Virginia. They recently visited Lexington for their anniversary and his birthday, and Jerry took note of all the construction going on around the Institute. He also visited the museum and noticed that the 1962 Bomb was not in the glass case. There is one in the records, but it has to stay there. If anyone has an old 1962 Bomb that they would like to donate to the museum, please feel free to do so.

If you remember, at our 45th Reunion in 2007, one of the favors was a wall clock with our class ring on the face. As I am sure you are aware, over time, the mechanism on these clocks has died. Sonny Robbins had this happen and got it repaired once, and after the second time, his daughter’s partner took it upon himself

to fix it. He definitely fixed it and gave it a major upgrade, even to include a pendulum. In other news from Sonny, he says there have been a lot of changes for them in the past year or so. A little over a year ago, they decided to downsize and moved into Westminster Woods—a continuous care retirement community about 3 miles from their house. That means they still have the same church, grocery store, post office, etc. They had lived in the house for 43 years, so moving from a large, five-bedroom house, including a three-car garage that he could barely squeeze one car into, wasn’t easy, but they made the move into their small, three-bedroom villa. That part has worked out well. Sadly, several months ago, Sonny had to move Betsy to the memory care facility. She was diagnosed with mild dementia back in 2014, and it finally got to the point where it wasn’t safe for her to be alone. That building is a 4-minute walk, so he is able to go visit most days, and she’s adjusted to the situation. She’s one of the higher functioning of the 32 people in the facility. Most nights, Sonny has dinner in the dining hall, and there are 30-40 or so who come to the 6 p.m. (late?) seating. One night, one of the ladies with whom he was acquainted said that her husband had been in the Air Force and, after Vietnam, was stationed at Edwards AFB. Sonny laughed and said he had a college classmate who says the same thing. She asked his name, and he said, “Bobby Howard.” They were neighbors and good friends, and the

Class Notes

two couples’ sons were best friends! After dinner, he texted Bobby, and she called Katie to let them know. The next time Sonny saw her, she told him about talking to Katie and was surprised Katie kept calling him Sonny. He is still working and leads a CEO think tank for Vistage, and he has 12 CEOs with whom he works. He tells his kids that he is now hanging out with their friends, as his youngest CEO is a USMA 2014 graduate! In Jacksonville, there’s an annual trivia contest between the alumni of eight Virginia colleges. Last year, VMI came in third, but this year, not so well. UVA and JMU typically have 15-20 alums; VMI only had five. Healthwise, he is doing fine; his brain thinks he is in his 50s, but his body knows he’s 85.

Ed Northrop recently sent me some information that had me shaking my head. He mentioned attending the change of command for the BN CO of 1st Battalion, 12 Infantry Regiment, in Alpine, Texas, July 24. Margie and I lived in Alpine from 1979–83, and I knew the closest military installation was Fort Bliss in El Paso, 220 miles west. It turns out that the infantry battalion is on border patrol, and their HQ in Alpine is the HQ for the border patrol agents. He had an enjoyable time and later visited the Big Bend National Park. On the way there, they ran into two vans with young soldiers on their day off from border patrol duty. Ed said they were a fine group of young men and women and that the Army of today is and remains in good hands. Somewhere during all of this, he pulled a muscle in his lower back. After a very long day at the Albany airport, he got to his van, and the battery was dead. After all that, he made it safely home.

That’s about it for another quarter. Everyone, stay healthy and keep on sending those updates in to me.

In the Spirit, Edmund

William C. Cowardin

giving of ’63 for the year at $364,393.74—32% participated. The amount was 2.61% of the total that I was able to review from the table of all the giving for each class. Considering we are all past our working lives, the comparison speaks for itself.

Bunny Reynolds, as usual, keeps tabs on our scholarship. Once again, it appears our scholarship in honor of Tucker Oliver has benefitted a cadet from an unusual background. She was self-schooled and one of seven siblings whose attendance was at least in part made possible by the fund. Bunny says her extracurricular activities were extensive. He remains encouraged by the quality of the young people applying despite politics and no superintendent. As of July 19, the ’63 scholarship fund stands at $660,000.

The accomplishments of our sons and daughters have begun to come into focus as we pass the years. One example was forwarded by Pete Brunel to a number of us, and it bears publication here. Cliff Weddington, son of BR Chuck Weddington, received high accolades from his company for 20 years of laudable service. He works for First Command Financial Services, which is engaged in financial products and advice to men and women in uniform. Pete commented at the end of his email—“Still missing Chuck.”

The three sons of our BR Robert Chambliss “Bob” Troxler sponsored a memorial service and luncheon at Moody Hall in his honor July 6, 2025.

Bunny Reynolds writes he attended an additional event on Long Island honoring Bob’s memory. He writes there were about 60 people in attendance there. A chaplain in a naval uniform officiated. Ashes were scattered on the grounds. Bob’s relationship with VMI was recounted. Trox was immensely revered in family, finance, and his support of the Institute. Bunny mentioned in passing that he attended in a wheelchair.

Doug Sterrett writes that he has taken up residence in Sunnyside Presbyterian Retirement Center in Harrisonburg, Virginia, in July. He intends the move to take him closer to family. His new address is 1130 Highlands Pl., Apt. 309, Rockingham, VA 22801. Phone: 828-964-6476.

Time for class notes has come again. Information from brother rats is less than I would like, but I do have some musings on how our class has left its mark on the Institute, each other, and our progeny. Contributions to the Institute: ’63 ranked about 10th among all classes 1944–present during the year 2024–25. Corri Sensabaugh reports graduate

Bunny Reynolds sent an email in June that he was contacted by a lady from Bedford, Virginia, and informed that a memorial honoring 12 Bedford soldiers killed in RVN would be placed at the courthouse in November. Our brother, Tucker Oliver, is one of the 12 so honored.

Many of you will remember I recounted in prior class notes my visit to the World War II Normandy Memorial in Bedford, honoring the sacrifice of

the men in the Bedford contingent, all of whom died in the Normandy invasion.

The Tidewater rats of ’63 met at the Hampton Yacht Club under the auspices of Bob Walton May 11, 2025. Surprise attendee was Frank Allison, who spends most of his time in Florida. On this occasion, Allison came with a carrot cake and candles of “8” and “4.” After announcing it was his 84th birthday, he ceremoniously installed and lit the candles, and after singing “Happy Birthday” and extinguishing them in the same breath, he served to all. Your brother rats present ate the cake.

The Richmond BRs met at Kitchen 33, their adopted usual place July 8. Unfortunately, no photographic evidence was forwarded. Yours truly was not in attendance.

Our estimable class agent emeritus, Mike Curley, emailed an account of a recent fall. He clarified that no hospital trip was entailed, but disc problems and 3 months of physical therapy ensued. His advice is not to be afraid to use a walker.

I have to comment that Pete Brunel, Bunny Reynolds, and Mike Curley continue to forward news of the class that comes their way. Thanks, guys.

The tragic drowning death of John Lacy happened just after the last class notes deadline. John was a dentist in Waynesboro. RIP. Mair Marchant, wife of Dennis Marchant, died June 9, 2025. RIP. Mackenzie Leo Davis, a brother rat of ’63 who was with us at the Institute 2 years before finishing at the University of Illinois, died July 13, 2025. RIP.

Lastly, be it known that I have taken up at least temporary residence at The Chamberlin independent living community. The address is 2 Fenwick Rd., Apt 107, Fort Monroe, Virginia 23561. Telephone: 757-869-8220. Email: billyc41@icloud.com.

Best Wishes, Bill

1964

John R. Cavedo

It’s been nice to hear from several brother rats this past quarter—some by email, some by phone. Frank Parker sent a short update: “Our biggest news is that we celebrated the first birthday

of our great-granddaughter, Wrenlee Parker, and our 60th wedding anniversary! On the health side, I’m in the process of recovering from a knee replacement, which is coming along OK. Marcy is doing fine and keeping very busy with all her volunteer activities. My local Rotary Club activities keep me busy and out of trouble.”

Don and Diana Jones attended a rat send-off in Lynchburg in early August. He sent several photos but only a short description of his activities. He wrote, “It has been an interesting and busy few months. Health-wise, we are fine. Diana has a few minor issues, but nothing serious. As for me, old age is catching up—mostly arthritis in my right shoulder and my knees.

“From a VMI standpoint, I have been working with Justin Tammelin ’09 in the alumni office on the legacy award issue and some other things. Last night, we had the Lynchburg Chapter’s rat sent-off event at Historic Sandusky. We had four incoming rats there out of 16 from this area. Along with about 60 other folks, including many alumni from the Class of ’91. Most I did not know. I was the oldest graduate there.

“We also had current cadets from all upper classes there as well. One interesting thing is that Hayden Talbot ’27 is the sister of Grayson Talbot, who is one of the incoming rats.

“As far as the New Market Legacy Award goes, I’ll be meeting with the entire cadet committee in September. Last night, when I brought up the award, none of the underclassmen knew much, if anything, about it. All were very interested when we started to discuss it. I plan to give each committee member a copy of Keith Gibson’s ’77 book, ‘The Corps Forward,’ as a starting point. One of the cadets I met last night is a member of the S7 staff, which is the PR office for the Corps. He has promised to help, especially after learning about the award’s details.

“From our personal life, we had two granddaughters graduate from high school this year. One is going to the University of South Carolina on scholarship studying psychology. The other one is going to be a welder, also on scholarship. I have been busy with projects here with the county’s EDA, where I am the secretary/treasurer. We have announced a long-term $3 billion construction project to begin this fall, bringing 14 data centers here. This is the first major commercial project in this county in over 40 years. We have been working on this for over 3 years.

“In late September, I will retire from club management roles with the Studebaker Drivers Club after 28 years in roles from local to national. It is time to allow some other folks to pick up the reins of this large club of about 18,000 members. I also

have two scheduled character interpretation gigs coming up in September, as well. One of these is portraying Lord Dunmore, the last royal governor of Virginia, and will be a conversation with Patrick Henry played by Patrick Jolly, a fourth great-grandson of Henry, who portrays him at Red Hill, Henry’s last home.”

Bill Taylor provided a longer idea of what he’s been doing: “Our entertainment these days is doctor’s appointments, but life is moving ahead. And are we grateful and blessed. After our health, grandchildren and a beautiful great-granddaughter are next in line. I should say first in line for our social schedule. Taylor Elaine Hart was born early this spring. As you can imagine, we are loaded down with baby pictures and daily FaceTime visits. You know how grandmothers are. Well, great-grandmothers are even worse. I’ll ask Betsy if she can come up with a ‘few’ baby pictures and send them to you.

“Our second granddaughter is talking of a wedding for spring 2026 to a real nice young man from Texas. Guess that means climbing into a tux again. No big trips for us this year. We are exploring some areas of Virginia. A trip on the upper James River by bateau is scheduled this month, and a train trip through the Shenandoah Valley on the Blue Ridge Flyer is scheduled for later on.

“Can you remember the first couple of days at VMI? It was about that time when I was thinking ‘I have made a bad mistake.’ You know the feeling. Likewise, we are both active and happy, and approaching our 59th anniversary. A milestone and many blessings. Best to the both of you, again, thanks for your kind note.”

Tom Sebrell and I talked on the phone several times this past quarter. Mostly, he was checking that my recent short medical downtime was finished. He wanted to make sure he wouldn’t have to take over the reins as class agent. I assured him I good for the duration. He also sent in a description of his recent efforts to remain young: “We spent 2 weeks in West Palm Beach with the Garbers this past winter. Dan and Sandy DeForrest came for a few days after completing a cruise, as did Bob and Cathy Warren, who stopped in for a few days. We all sat by the pool a lot and ate way too much food.

“Penny and I just returned from another trip to Vista Verde Ranch in Colorado. I did a lot of riding and cattle work and took advantage of working with the head wrangler on improving my horsemanship. I plan to try to keep doing this as long as I can. No more travel plans at this point but will probably go to Montana to visit grandkids this fall and to Richmond to visit oldest son in his new home. I will try to send some pictures when we figure out how to download them.”

Tom Davis sent a wonderful recollection in early August: “Today is Jonathan Daniels ’61 Day in the Episcopal Church. He was elected as valedictorian for his class graduation. When he delivered his address in early June 1961, I remember glancing at my watch, knowing that our summer furlough would begin as soon as he finished. As it turned out, he included in his remarks these memorable words addressed to his BRs: ‘I wish you the decency and nobility of which you are capable.’

“He later lost his life as a civil rights martyr. I regard his valedictory remarks, especially that one

notable sentence, as among the most memorable I heard in my years at the Institute.”

Kerry Hines, always a faithful correspondent:

“As I was reading through the class notes in the latest Review, I realized that I hadn’t communicated with you for some time other than acknowledging the note on your wedding anniversary—congratulations, again, on that. Back before Ken and Barbara Dice moved south and Bernie Hylton’s death, when we would periodically get together for lunch, the wives would almost always note at some point that they were a group of ‘originals,’ a label Sherrel might claim, as well.

“We had a nice ski trip to Aspen-Snowmass in January—good weather, good snow, uncrowded mountain, but with only one of our grandsons, as his brother was on a class trip to Scotland, and his father (our younger son) had an issue with his knee. As I seem to have gotten slower and our grandson considerably faster, we sorta skied together.

“I’m assuming that Ronnie Thornton has sent you photos of our small contingent at Walt Sykes’ funeral. But if she didn’t, let me know, and I will send one. Tony and Barb Munera and Marianne and I made it to the service, along with Bill and Betsy Taylor, Ronnie Thornton, Jenny Cummings, and Mary Jo Jordan and husband Bill. I had never met Walt’s son or daughters and was really struck by the really close resemblance between Walt and his son when I met him after the service. The service was a nice tribute to Walt. After the service, we drove on into Annapolis and had a crab cake lunch at Carol’s Creek Cafe, the last place Tony and I took Walt to lunch a few years back.

“In April, we joined our other grandkids—the daughter and son of our oldest son—for VMI Legacy Day. This grandson, only 13 and likely to change his views several times, is currently interested in attending VMI. He wasn’t particularly excited about the various adventure/team activities in the Corps Physical Training Facility but really got charged when he could build a circuit board in the EE lab, as he wants to study robotics. Since he is attending a weeklong drone-building camp at Virginia Tech in late June, he may well have a relatively quick change of mind about his college preference.”

Dick Atkinson: “We are in Budapest now, traveling with our daughter, Barbi, and her husband, Duke. I will send you a picture from the Wales and Cornwall trip when I get back.”

In late May, I was informed of the death of Dave Trimble. He didn’t graduate with the class but was remembered fondly by many of us. Trying to find something good, it is gratifying that his

was the only death reported this quarter. I heard from Buzz Birzenieks, who had nice things to say about his first-year roommate.

King von Schilling wrote in response to my question about his health, “Yes, I’m trying. I have

cataract surgery June 9 and 12; plus, I started new meds for the dizziness last night. I hope it helps. The combat vets I take hunting each season, most every weekend, only got eight deer this year, but they got a lot of great camaraderie.” Class agent note: If it doesn’t scare you that King is out hunting with bouts of dizziness and partial blindness, you might have to visualize the scenario. Press on, King! You always were the toughest one of us.

Nelson Trinkle: “I didn’t know Dave, but any of our losses is a time to mourn. On a brighter note, Karen and I have moved from the farm to 5 miles down the road. Time to give up the farm work and enjoy a 55-and-older community. I’ll send our new address to the alumni office.

“First, we are well, and as of June 7, I hope to be the oldest BR at 86 years young.

“Don Carson, you and family are in my prayers. Margaret was a very special lady, and I was privileged to have known her.”

Tom and Yvonne Myers sent, “It’s really good to hear from you. It is a shame we have not been able to connect with such a short distance between us. We also are doing relatively well. In fact, Tom drove to Charlotte, North Carolina, alone to pick up a friend and continue to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, for the famous airshow/fly in. I will join him by airplane in St. Louis Thursday. We are then traveling west to Rocky Mountain National Park for a family reunion. We all converge on the YMCA of the Rockies out of Estes Park every 2 years. Tom and I will continue on to Glacier National Park for a couple of weeks in an Airbnb and then all the way down to Taos, New Mexico, for 2 weeks. “We are meeting the Tornabenes at their cabin in West Virginia after our westward ho. All in all, we will be gone about 2 months. We are so looking forward to getting out of this Florida heat. Safe journeys to you. Keep in touch as we both move about our fantastic country.”

Another email from Dick Atkinson: “We took a Viking River Cruise from Budapest to Bucharest this spring with our daughter, Barbi, and Duke, who you will remember from our Normandy trip several years ago. We visited Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Romania on this cruise—so much history and world events there, with lovely scenery along the way. May saw birthdays for Susan and me—hard to imagine most of our classmates and I are 83 years old or older. We visited Chincoteague in May for a reunion with Susan’s three siblings— lots of good seafood while there, and at least a glimpse of the famous ponies. Summer brought our annual visit to Barbi’s house in Virginia, where we played a lot of golf on the nearby Mill Quarter course. Susan doesn’t give me nearly as many

‘gimmes’ as Garber does. Now we are in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, at the Hume family home on Cape Cod with all three of our daughters and lots of grandkids, spouses, and even a great-grandchild. We are very blessed with pretty good health and not too many vicissitudes of old age. “I am glad you are back to normal after your health issues of the past year. We are looking forward to getting together with Bob and Cathy Warren and Don Carson, who is moving to Port St. Lucie, so if you can get out from in front of your TV, we might set up a mini reunion of our own when we get back to Vero Beach.”

In late June, I had a nice conversation with Ed Seager. They’re settled into their new home, and with a few exceptions, are enjoying decent health, though Janice is still suffering from back issues.

W.J. Kitchen and I still enjoy regular phone conversations. He and Lauranne still travel more than the rest of us, but W.J. assures me it’s less than formerly.

Sherrel and I just returned from a 10-day driving trip to visit our oldest son in Southwest Michigan. It was our first long road trip since COVID-19 screwed up all our lives. More grueling than I remembered. Tesla’s full self-driving helps.

Every single one of us has a long list of medical issues, but at least we try to soldier on. And, if it’s not obvious, I’m not overwhelmed with news and photos from each of you. Keep in touch.

Jamie and I are still in the afterglow of our reunion and the opportunity to be with you and the BRs. Congratulations to you, Chuck, and Mike for carrying off such a great get-together for us. Of course, it was a good time to remember good times, and we all know the BRs that we missed would have had a good time, too. Our time since then has been very busy. Jamie has been put into an increasingly heavy-duty position at her work with Parallon Corporation, collecting money from insurance companies to pay hospital bills. I just wish she were being paid a percentage of what she collects. For my part, I have had an unusually busy time sitting as a visiting judge in North and East Texas—several days almost each week since the reunion. I enjoy the travel because it keeps me from interfering with Jamie’s plans to renovate the house from time to time, thus avoiding domestic violence. It also helps me postpone the onset of Alzheimer’s by keeping my brain awake most of the time. In July, Jamie and I went to Galveston for the annual meeting of the College of the State Bar of Texas. Of course, it was really tough to have to eat all of that fresh seafood, but somebody has to support their economy. In addition, between judge gigs, I have been writing some more articles, one of which on the Constitution was published by the Texas State Bar College. Jamie and I went to the North Texas rat send-off last week, and it looked like a good group. I always go simply to tell them that I am living proof they will survive the Rat Line and graduate (which I hope is encouraging). Needless to say, we think of our BRs every day and look forward to seeing you again in only 4 years, if not before. As I said in June 1965, and I believe it is still true, ‘We are the best that VMI has ever produced.’ In the meantime, we wish all a happy, healthy, and safe summer and autumn.”

I’ve gotten a note from Elaine Neil-Smith, Charlie’s widow. She has asked to stay on the Alumni Review list and would like to hear from us. Her email is emnsmith40@gmail.com.

Bob Whaley: “Can’t really think of any news. Just my standing invite for any brother rats to come visit me on Big Pine Key, Florida Keys. That’s my wife, Linda, in the boat—making a left. To pick you up. Come visit.”

C. Lou Siegel

“Good

Dave Kiger: “Lou, I was on my way to play golf at Wintergreen last week and passed through Nellysford, Virginia. It was 10 degrees cooler up there than in Lynchburg. Only lost six golf balls ... per day. We will be going to Hilton Head probably in September for the winter, basically, and come home for Christmas. Always enjoy Hilton Head and playing golf and eating there. Will meet my roommate, Dick Waters, at the Sept. 6 VMI football game, our yearly get-together, before we head

south. Maybe we will see some other BRs at the game—hope so. Staying upright so far now. I did fall playing pickleball last year, suffering a mild concussion and lost memory for about 4 hours. OK now.”

Bruce Herczogh: “Lou, just got out of the hospital, and all appears to be well now. Apparently, my heart was in A-fib for about 3 weeks, and I did not know it. I was slow to move and very, very weak. Doctors shocked my heart into sinus rhythm, and I am mowing the back yard now. Western South Carolina is finally enjoying a cool spell, and everyone around here is looking forward to Clemson football. (These people are crazy!)”

Chuck Hough has put together a survey about the 60th Reunion. If you haven’t gotten it and want to respond, let him know at chuck.hough@ gmail.com.

From Charlie Russell’s son: “Chad Russell here, Charlie’s son. Following my mom’s passing, we are preparing to move dad down near us in the Richmond area. In the process of readying the house for sale, we happened upon dad’s uniforms. We are proud to report that he easily buttoned up his old Air Force uniform blouse. Although he gave the coatee a shot, it was not to be.”

Larry Rose regarding Bob Palmer’s funeral service: “Bobby’s funeral in Richmond was held yesterday. In attendance representing VMI ’65 were Will Scott and wife Sandy, Danny Price and wife Barbara, and me. We met momentarily with Mary Palmer to express our regrets. She seems to be holding up pretty well; Bob was sick for the past 3 years before succumbing to cancer. I regret that I didn’t get a photo of the five of us with Mary. The best I can do is this photo of Danny and yours truly taken afterward.”

Phil Shu is alive and well in Greensboro, North

Carolina. He’s keeping some of us informed regarding world events. Thanks, Phil. Lou Siegel: “I’ve talked with Conrad Hall and Greg Robertson in the last month (July). Both seemed in good health and spirits. Joanie and I visited Conrad’s home on the Eastern Shore of Virginia some time ago. He’s on the water, and there is a lovely smell of Chesapeake Bay marsh on the property. Nothing like it. Chuck Hough and I talk regularly/irregularly. Chuck handles the sending of emails for me. I could not do it without him. Taking seven heart pills in the morning and four at night—plus some vitamins. That song, ‘Staying Alive,’ pops up regularly. Feeling pretty good and still with Valley Supportive Housing in Staunton. A seriously worthwhile experience. ‘My’ cardiologist is named Lewis Siegel, believe it or not. From Ukraine several generations ago. Declares I’m doing well (an educated guess). Joanie and I took our two Virginia grandchildren to a play in Staunton—at the American Shakespeare Theatre—a replica of the original theatre. They made it for the whole 30 minutes. Take care, all.”

Randolph Williams and Cliff Martin were the only two from ’66 who were present for the Keydet Club Leadership Outing held this past June. Randolph’s note also mentioned that he and Cliff were the “two old guys on the patio of alumni hall.” C’mon, Randolph! We ain’t “old,” we just wear our years well! Thanks for getting the photo in to prove that y’all were in attendance. I stumbled across a place to visit while looking for something else and shared it with some others ... Guadalupe Mountains National Park is very remote and one of the least visited and most unique in the U.S., but it is also home to the tallest mountain in Texas. Craig Caldwell was there this past March and recalls, “I was fortunate to have camped for a night there. The campsite is near the main entrance at about the 6,500-foot level, with the top of the peak at about 8,700 feet. I live at about 300 feet, so strolling around at the campsite was a bit daunting. However, there were many people there, and the campsite was full with lots of ‘young folks’ and families. The wind does not sleep at night; it ‘practices’ for the next day. The night sky is amazing, and I woke up several times and watched the Big Dipper seemingly change its

location but still point reliably to the North Star. There is no gas, food, and not much shade, and the only amenities are a bathroom and water. A reliable propane stove is a necessity if you want that first cup of coffee in the morning. Back in the in the ’80s—the 1980s, that is—I made the journey to the top of the peak, and the view was spectacular. Alas, I had to rely on my memory from those days, as I certainly was not going to attempt ‘the summit’ on this visit. This park is worth the trip, and it is a long way from anywhere.” Thanks, Craig—super trip report!

Wayne and Susan Gray sold their home of 44 years in Fairfax County, Virginia, last summer. They are temporarily renting while they renovate Susan’s 138-year-old family farmhouse in Grant County, West Virginia, which is about 2 hours due west. Her great-grandfather, who took a bullet through the earlobe at the 1862 Battle of Antietam, built it to replace the older home. Wayne periodically chats with BRs Miguel Monteverde and Bill Gore, who both live nearby.

Herb Guyton writes that a few months ago, he received a package from his date for our Ring Figure. She was from his hometown, “but I had not seen or communicated with her since summer 1965. She had discovered in her ‘stuff’ the replica pin of our ring with a small chain attached to a ’66 that I had given her. I thought our BRs might enjoy this little anecdote. Also, my sincere thanks to the BRs who texted or emailed during my recent medical events! Particular kudos to the periodic calls of BR Dave Davis and my good friend, Jim Dittrich ’76, who personifies all the plusses

that we took away from VMI and who, I believe, has VMI molecules in his DNA. My gratitude and greetings to all! Herb Guyton.”

Parky Parkman sent a note expressing his happiness at the 1-year anniversary of his heart ablation: All is well. That’s certainly good news! The Parkmans used the occasion of the graduation of their grandson from high school to take an Alaskan cruise. As Parky said, he and Mary Fran have been fortunate to have done quite a bit of international and domestic travel, but they enjoyed this cruise even more because of having the family with them. After giving themselves a week off

Class Notes

to recover from the cruise, they went to Emerald Isle, North Carolina, for their annual family beach week. As Parky noted, “The grandkids have a way of making you feel young and full of energy. Oh, to be that age again! Then again, maybe not!” Thanks, Parky; I’m sure we all have enjoyed your various adventures.

Finally, Jerry Homiller’s granddaughter will be spending the next 4 years in Lexington. At W&L! They are still in Midlothian and have been since 1989. Their general health remains good, and their energy and mobility are still OK. They are fortunate that both sons and their families live within a few miles, so they are able to see them frequently. “For the grandkids, it is either for

chauffeur services, e.g. marching band, lacrosse, volleyball, and swim team meets, or when they just drop by for a visit. After 52 years of wedded bliss, we finally took our first major non-domestic vacation trip last fall to England and France. We enjoyed that trip so much that we signed up for a trip package to Portugal and Spain next spring, a few weeks after our 60th. We are looking forward to both trips.” Thank you, Jerry; enjoy!

Thanks for all of your kind words and support. Your next photos and inputs will be due to me by Nov. 12, and I will email you to remind you of that date.

Take care, enjoy your families and fellow brother rats, and I look forward to seeing you in April 2026.

All My Best to Each of You,

Nick

1967

Lonnie Jan Abernathy

Wow! Sometimes, these notes get exciting in a hurry. Some will be sent by email because your responses have been excellent. The same for great photos, which did not make the cut for the AR standards. With this issue, we have a lot of news! J.I. Orrison: “When we were rats, VMI played Navy in a memorable football game. It was Staubach’s senior year, and Navy was nationally ranked. Near the game’s end, we were ahead. Navy tried a desperation field goal that fell short. Our guys started celebrating, and nobody downed the ball. Navy ran into the end zone and fell on the ball for a touchdown. My cousin was a plebe at USNA. We had bet our class mugs on the game. I sent mine to him. Years later, his mom was visiting him when she noticed my mug on his mantle. She asked him why he had my mug, and he told her about the bet. She snatched the mug from the mantle and said, “I was at that game. You didn’t deserve to win.” She sent it back to me. This year, we are betting challenge coins. I can’t risk the mug because Aunt Sue isn’t around to return it this time.

Jan adds: “The band was at that game, the Oyster Bowl. Staubach’s passing was for negative yards. VMI really had a great day!” My recent thoughts on aging brought a few comments from some old BRs, and I will spread them in these notes.

Bob Randolph: “Time is taking its toll. You inquired about my back surgery; I had a very successful insertion of a neurostimulator, which

sends out pain-reducing impulses throughout my lower back, which had resulted in about a 75% reduction of the recurring pain to which I was subjected. It enabled Nina and me to take our annual Europe trip. I have no problem sitting on a bicycle seat or an easy chair for 6–8 hours a day; it’s just running, jumping, hopping, and skipping that wear me out. So Nina and I biked from Ravenna to Bologna in early June, starting in Ravenna to see the gorgeous Byzantine mosaics that grace Ravenna’s many churches, particularly the sparkling, finely cut glass and stone arrangements in the Basilica of San Vitale, which Dante compared to a symphony of color. We went electric on this trip as we were biking in the Apennines, which form a series of lateral barriers that the German general, Albert Kesselring, used to good effect to stall the Allied advance up the length of Italy for 2-and-a-half years. No way were we going to be able to make it up and over the many ridgelines manually. Upon arriving in Bologna, after a stop in Modena to visit the Ferrari Museum, we feasted on a local delicacy, suckling pig, to celebrate another biking adventure in Europe, hopefully not the last.”

Bob Flynn: “Thanks so much for coming to my 80th! I just got a card in the mail from you, and it was sent to our old address. (Note that Bob has a new address, as do Dan Wells, Jim Ferrell, and Hunter Taylor.)

Marie Wertz: “I hope all is well with you and Joan. I have been catching up and just read about Tubby. I did not know. When he came and was working at USF early on in his career, he stayed with Larry and me for a few months before moving the family down. What a super person he was and an amazing friend to everyone. Our son, Brent’s, daughter, Ella, just graduated from Fordham University in the Bronx. It was a great getaway for us in New York City for a few days!

“His other daughter, Susannah, is getting married June 14. It is a busy time, but all joyous occasions! Like everyone else, I am trying to stay active and enjoy these so-called golden years!

Thank you for all that you do, and my best to you and Joan! Love you both, Marie.”

Jim Wilson: “Appreciated the b-card for 80th,

which is a very bleak number ... except for the alternative! We all be in that ‘small tight bracket’ of chronology now. Quiet Sunday otherwise. Had a chilled chocolate-type cake delivered by Liep’s brother and family for a short celebration. Did not set the apartment on fire ... used one minuscule candle.

“Liep is recovering after Friday’s first cataract surgery. Second is in 2 weeks. Definitely different lens technology than mine from 13 years ago. Hope she will be fully healed and in sync with her brain by mid-July. Summer is arriving, but not going anywhere until late August. Took an end-of-April Auto Train run to Florida for VN unit reunion in Jacksonville. (Had avoided Florida since a 1999 Auto Train run, except for a necessary cruise port connection. Opinion hasn’t changed.) Attendance was very small ... only 31. Did a few extra days of touring. Saw three commercial launches out of Kennedy Space Center before coming back home on the train. That’s my tale. Hope you are doing reasonably well in spite of the persistent med issues. Not getting any easier, but I hope a bit better.

“Still planning to try the November run to VMI if conditions permit. Never a guarantee anymore.”

Rob Gates: “This March, Beverly and I went back to the Missouri Conference on History for the third time. This year, it was in Blue Springs, Missouri, and I presented my paper on the building of the Potomac River Bridge in 1940. The paper is also being published in this year’s issue of the Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Society magazine. As always, we took the direct route to Missouri and the long way home. This year, the road back to Virginia went through Memphis, Vicksburg, Natchez, New Orleans, and Huntsville. I highly recommend the World War II Museum in New Orleans. I also enjoyed the Vicksburg battlefield and, especially, the ironclad USS Cairo (and the BBQ in Memphis!). I’m sure we would have torn the Big Easy up if we were younger and wilder! As it was, museums, a stroll on Bourbon Street, a trolley ride, and some good meals had to do. I’ve attached two photos. You get to decide which (if any) to use. There are pictures of Beverly and me

by the USS Cairo and on the porch of Longwood (aka the Octagon House or Nutt’s Folly) in Natchez. Rob.”

Bob Hess: “Our charity has launched a new digital magazine, Dispatch. We’re working on ranking it with Google. Our team wrote an article about the upcoming second season of ‘The Terminal List.’ As of this morning, we are ranking ahead of Variety magazine. Please take a moment to read the following article link: rally4vets.com/post/the-terminal-list-dark-wolf.

If you like the article, please share it with your network. This will be a great help for our premiere film screening program with Amazon MGM Studios. Thank you! P.S.: We would love your feedback on the piece. Bob.”

Tom Brown: “My wife and I just watched a show on PBS about the arrival of the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show during our rat year. During an FEI, I was standing next to Charlie Schmaus ’66, a star on the basketball team. The Army inspecting officer was Capt. Drudik (the ‘Drud’). He asked Charlie to remove his shako, and when he did, a massive amount of hair cascaded down over his face. Drudik asked the immortal question, ‘What’s the story on you, Mister?’ Schmaus replied, ‘I am a Beatle, sir.’ I now sometimes have to think hard about what day of the week it is, but I remember that incident like it was yesterday. Tom Brown, cheers! Class of 1967 sorta!”

Mike Ingelido: “Happy birthday to the U.S. Army! And my thanks to all of you who have served (and those now serving) for your courage, skill, and patriotism in peace and war since 1775. I only wish I could include those who are no longer with us.”

Bert Burckard: “Thanks for the report. And thankful it is named Bragg once again.

My son (and namesake) was born there in 1980 while Claudia and I were TDY to the 82nd. We were presented a certificate making him an ‘honorary’ member of the All-American Division (Phil, take note!) because I was technically assigned to them. Ironically, my assignment was to an ad hoc team of FAO Army officers tasked to design an Israeli police force for the ‘occupied’ West Bank. Maybe after things settle down a bit over there, Netanyahu will dust off our 45-year-old plan and find a use for it! One of my salient memories of that time was waking up one morning in May to head for work and finding 6 inches of snow on the ground in the military housing area. I think it all melted by noon. Another adventure was discovering a stockpile of Navy 5-inch/54 caliber Mark 45 gun tubes in the woods near the housing area. Was told they were for SF demolition training. Being a die-hard history artillery buff,

I concocted a plan to ‘liberate’ one of them to decorate my parents’ home in Norfolk. But I could never assemble enough brave ‘volunteers’ (compatriots who had no career aspirations!) with pick-em-up trucks for this stealth mission. Also, Claudia reminded me that on-post [personnel] and dependents were always invited out to the drop zones to watch scheduled 82nd training exercises. Bleachers were set up for this. We were impressed as C-130s came in low with rear ramps open to eject M551 Sheridans and other vehicles pulled out by drogue chutes. Cool stuff! These are

some of my Fort Bragg ‘war’ stories. BR Bert.”

Jan Abernathy, re: The 250th parade: “I spoke to one of the cadets on the front rank for VMI. He said all were volunteers with so many at summer training and such. About 300 signed up, and only 50 were selected. We have no idea how choices were made. I hope you notice USMA had their enlisted, paid band and looked OK. The ROTC units managed to stay in step after following thousands of units that mostly shuffled along and looked as if they were going on a sightseeing walk. I recall at VMI, we called that a squirrel hunt gait. The First Armor division was there, but no mention of Third Armor and General McAuliffe or Bastogne, that I heard, or Patton either. One slight mention of General Marshall ’901.”

Mike Bagnulo: “Thanks for the closer look at the cadets in the parade. I am retiring in 2 weeks. Keep up the great work.” (Mike and Marci are in Scotland as I write these notes.)

Jay Topping: “Thanks for sharing. Would have been better without the political background. Nice to see the Corps represented, even by a small crew, but very impressive.”

Dave Neel: “As an FYI, I have had a streak of bad health issues lately. I am scheduled for bypass surgery Friday. I came in today for cardiac catheterization, and I ended up in the ICU until surgery Friday. Hopefully, everything will work out OK. Dave.”

John Anderson: “Join me in January for an annual trip to Cambodia. Spiders, crickets, and tarantulas—buy fresh, skip the tariffs. I usually stick with chicken and fish. Andy.”

Ray Gosney: “So proud of my granddaughter, a sophomore college student at Auburn University majoring in aviation science, [for] completing her first solo flight today. She continues to follow a career path like her mother, Alexa Singer, who has semi-retired as a commercial airline pilot and now heads up one of New England’s best collegiate pilot training programs.”

Stan Waskiewicz: “Interesting. I noticed one error, though. Narrator mispronounced the air base where the B-2s are stationed. Upon my return from SEA, I was assigned to Whiteman AFB (October 1971–January 1976) as a Minuteman II missile combat crew commander, later as a missile procedures trainer operator, and still later, later as OIC, Munitions Branch. It is pronounced as written, White-man, and not as the poet, Whitman! My trivia for today!”

Rick Irby: “On our first day, I saluted the mailman. He looked at me in total disgust ... like I was the dumbest thing standing on two legs. Never forgot that look.”

John Carnes: “I truly believe ‘surviving’ the Rat

Line was and will always be a huge accomplishment. FYI, my wife of 47 years passed away in April, and I am learning just how much we relied on each other. I’m OK now, and I know I will be better in time. One word of advice for all of us is to write your own obituary now. Even Terri’s relatives could not remember certain life events for her. Cheers and stay healthy, John.”

Gail Palmer (Ruben Terry’s longtime lady): “Jan, I have been awake for about 3 hours now, but I just sat down at my computer and read your ‘Aging Gracefully at 80’ message. With tears streaming down my cheeks from my laughter, I’ve finished reading your letter several times now, and I’m still smiling, despite the fact that my once hot coffee is now chilled! What a mind you have— you have clearly made my day, despite the fact that the corners of my mouth are slightly sore from my continually re-reading your letter, smiling, and laughing out loud! Thanks for a great start to today!”

George E. Barletta re: aging: “I still have a black, rotary-dial phone and a drive-in movie speaker I turned into a doorbell.”

Jim Waehler: “I just read an article online about how poorly elderly people are treated, with suggestions on how to address this injustice. The world has certainly changed for us. I still play tennis with a group of guys in their 70s and 80s, and we have discussed that an old guy is only noticed if he becomes a widower, and then often by people looking to take advantage of him.”

Max Toch, when I asked about the triplets: “Charlie is at Hunter Army Air Base near Savannah. Leo is in Austin, still in the tech business. Daughter is still a police officer in Newport News, Virginia. All are OK. Terryann and I are doing fine for this stage of the adventure.

“Happy 250th to our beloved Army. I’m at Fort Bragg for a memorial service for a recently deceased old soldier. Sadly, the ranks are thinning. For those with decades-old memories of Bragg, here are a few observations: I took Terryann on a windshield tour of Bragg afterward. Lots of new/modernized facilities. Green Ramp is still there, but adjacent Pope AFB is now Pope AAF. Pleased to report the troopers I observed all looked STRAC.

“One unpleasant surprise was several main road name changes. Confusing until I realized what had happened. Final item, if you get back to Fayetteville, the downtown strip is now a very pleasant dining and shopping area. Also, right near the RR station is a huge, excellent Airborne and Special Operations Museum. Max.”

John Forsyth: “Thanks for your note! (in August) No snow yet ... low 90s all week. However, I

Class Notes

note that our humidity is an oppressive 13% today and expected to stay that way, while your area’s humidity is a balmy 85% ... expected to stay that way! Leslie is knitting on the deck while three of her friends finish their nutcracker painting, which is a Christmas in July project Leslie held. In preparation for winter, I got the garage insulated and drywalled. I’ve already noticed the temperature is maybe 15 degrees cooler, so I anticipate the inside garage temperatures to run maybe that much warmer this winter. It will be great, and maybe the garage refrigerator will function properly, as well! We had our rat send-off this past Saturday ... one male and one female. Both are full of spit and vinegar, which I’m sure will disappear the day after matriculation. The young man wants to study mechanical engineering and play in the band (plays sax). He wants the challenge VMI offers. Not sure why the young woman wants, but she has been in Army JROTC, so she thinks she wants an Army career.” The Atlanta rat send-off, held at the same time, was attended by Jan and Joan Abernathy and Mike Bagnulo

Jack Sheeran: “Life has been busy these past few months. In the fall, we did a Viking River Cruise from Paris to Normandy, stopping at Monet’s cottage, as well as the Canadian beach. (We had been to the U.S. beaches and cemetery before.) Back in Paris, we finally got into the Louvre after three tries. February found us in St. Pete for our son, Michael’s, wedding to our wonderful daughter-in-law, Abby. At the end of March, we cruised again on the Viking to Hawaii, stopping at Hawaii, Kauai, Maui, and Oahu, where we were lucky enough to catch a ride to the Arizona Memorial, a solemn and memorable place. My family celebrated my 80th (ugh) by gathering at an Airbnb in the New York Finger Lakes for some hiking and wine tastings. It was a double celebration, as Mike shares his birthday with me. He was present at my 37th! We will finally finish up the year with our youngest, Scott, getting married in November in Puerto Rico. As always, I am truly grateful for the work that you and Joan do for us.”

There was a service held at Arlington Cemetery to inter Larry Rutherford. We received a great photo of L.F. Payne and Jimmy Rogers with his widow, Shelly, but it was too small to utilize in the AR. The service was for immediate family only since the formal service where BRs attended had been held previously. Tommy Gillette was his roommate for all 4 years.

Allen Gwaltney: “Wendy and I had a nice lunch with Wharton and Ellen Ramsey in Charlottesville recently. Had a great time catching up and telling VMI war stories. Thanks for trying to keep ’67 together regardless of differences. As we get

older, these issues seem so meaningless compared to our shared commonalities.”

J.B. Farley: “I don’t have any tall tales, but we are doing well and looking forward to cooler weather. This has been a summer to enjoy the grandchildren. The oldest, Gavin, graduated high school and is off to Cal Lutheran University, where he will be on the baseball team. All four of the grandkids are a real blessing to their parents and to us. I’m still having some health problems (I refuse to use the word ‘issues’), but we’re working on them. Hope this finds all well.”

Ann Plentl says her new “little” house behind her son’s in Raleigh is not quite ready yet, but she is excited about the move soon.

Bob Randolph reunited with Hill Ellett after 48 years, and his first wife, Bruce Lunsford. Hill has survived throat cancer and has had a successful cervical spine transplant. Bruce was Nina’s roommate at MWU.

Taps: Charles Harkrader III has passed away. He makes No. 107 of BRs who have passed. We send our condolences to his family and to the Class of 1967. His Taps notice will appear in the November issue of the Review. His dad was Class of 1933. We reported by email that Andy Yowell passed Jan. 23, Dot Marshall was killed in a car accident, and Win Phillips passed in May. Win and his father (also a VMI grad) bought a farm in Banner, Wyoming. Win sold his farm in 2021, and he and his wife, Pam, moved to Buffalo, Wyoming. Many thanks again to Terry Moore for continuing to keep the charts updated for our class. It is appreciated by all. Most of you know about these losses to our class already through my emails. If you are not getting the information and wish to be on the email list, please let Joan or myself know.

Wishing you a safe and warm winter.

Your BR,

Jan (and Joan)

1968

Tom Hickey

Dave O’Connor (Lexington, Virginia): “Linda and I are going back to Abingdon with some ’64 friends to see ‘A Few Good Men’ at the Barter for my birthday. Joe and Donna LeVine are going to meet us for dinner prior.

“We are all anxiously awaiting the decision on the new superintendent. The Marine, Lieutenant General Furness ’87, is my runaway choice.

“I attended the Rockbridge Chapter rat send-off last week. There were seven rats-to-be with families, and maybe 30 chapter members and wives there. Plans for academic majors included two mechanical, two electrical engineers, one physics, one philosophy major, and a pre-history major (i.e., civil engineer). Good time had by all. Cadet cadre is back, and superintendent interviews this week.

“Linda and I are going to the VMI-Navy game at the end of the month. I have a good friend and sailing buddy who is an Academy grad, and we are going to spend the weekend with them.”

Andy Andrews (Ocean Springs, Mississippi): “Bonnie and I celebrated our 57th with a great meal at a local casino. A far cry indeed from celebrations of the past years, but at least we are still around. We have six grandchildren. The 6- and 8-year-olds are quite athletic. Two teenage granddaughters, one in cosmetology, the other becoming a rad tech. Our oldest grandson repairs Chevys and loves it. The other grandson signed a football scholarship with the U.S. Air Force Academy. I have warned him he is stepping into another world.”

Steve Hubbard (Maplecrest, New York): “I’m well. Daughter Josie is coming to visit from California for my birthday. Going to Charlottesville on Labor Day for a family get-together.”

Jack Bareford (Swainsboro, Georgia): “I still work full time but occasionally don’t make it in to work due to my idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis acting up. I then remote in from the house to keep on top of my office business. On oxygen 24/7 but not too big an issue, particularly considering the alternative. Never smoked a day in my life. VA concluded it could have been Agent Orange or the Gulf War fires and awarded me 100% disability. I was in the 101st Airborne, so I spent most of my time in the Ashau Valley, so I guess it is possible. I know we went through areas that had been sprayed. Hope you and the rest of the class are doing well and staying healthy!”

Howard Chapman (Mount Pleasant, South Carolina): “I am continuing to serve on the Mount Pleasant Town Council. It is my fifth year, and we are doing good things for the town, including starting work on parks and playground projects from the $50 million referendum that I helped get passed a couple of years ago.

“I have retired from the State Guard but promised the deputy adjutant general of the National Guard that I would help during any state emergency that arises, which I did last fall by helping assess possible damages from an approaching hurricane.

“My most difficult task this past year was to bury my son, Greg, who died from cancer after a 2-year fight. He continued playing his music on

Broadway in Nashville right up until the end. He even played in Mount Pleasant in October 2024 with the Mac Lephart Band while they were touring in the Southeast.

“My grandson in Anderson, South Carolina, made the all-region baseball team as a junior at third base in upstate South Carolina this spring, while one of my granddaughters played on the girls’ varsity basketball team at Washington-Liberty High School (formerly Washington-Lee) in Northern Virginia. She is looking forward to her senior year on the girls’ varsity after AAU travel basketball this summer.”

Billy Seargeant (Fredericksburg, Virginia): “Still going strong, selling wood pallets, dealing at gun shows, selling militaria on eBay, donating to the VMI Armory, etc.

“As I reported earlier this spring, I had the distinct pleasure of lecturing Dean Kershaw’s construction management class on the requirements for special inspections.

“My granddaughter, Elizabeth, has been told by her teachers that she should skip eighth grade and go directly to the ninth grade. We are so proud of her for making this accomplishment. She is growing up to be a beautiful young lady. Her younger sister, Lowery, age 3, is also quite smart. Dianne and I visit Jessica, our daughter, and her family in King George, Virginia, often.”

Bob Fletcher (Stevensville, Maryland): “Kim and I are living on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, just across the Bay Bridge from Annapolis, Maryland. After spending a couple of years living on our boat in 2020–22, we decided to move ashore for a while, and now we are planning to stay here a bit longer. The pace of life is perfect. We are close enough to D.C. and Baltimore to service clients who want to do business in person, but if you like wide open fields full of crops and small towns dotting the tributaries to the Chesapeake Bay, this is the place.

“Both Kim and I have been working with FEMA doing the Continuous Improvement Program since the hurricanes of 2024 and the seven states impacted by them. It’s been interesting doing our work with the ongoing analysis of FEMA underway, but it seems that wiser minds are prevailing as FEMA may reemerge essentially unchanged.

“I saw a headline today that POTUS is going to provide ‘billions to state and local government for preparedness’ and has also declared seven states major disasters from recent storms. I guess that he will be busy handling what was previously handled by the FEMA administrator, regional directors, and federal coordination officers. Regardless of how you spin it, the country needs an organization that performs a FEMA-like mission, regardless

of what you call it. I feel confident that POTUS will find a way to claim credit, with all deserved respect.

“Anyhow, Kim is throwing me a 79th birthday party with friends. I am thankful to be here to enjoy it. Still hitting the gym regularly and keeping busy with activist organizations, trying to live the Honor Code as best I can. After all, I’ve promised not to tolerate those who lie, cheat, and steal. But I haven’t heard many drums lately after listening to the news. ...

“It’s always good to hear how BRs are faring as we move into the golden years.”

George Sebren (Niceville, Florida): “Pretty good year for me, almost shot my age except for two three-putts.

“Went to my granddaughter’s high school graduation in Bozeman, Montana, and played golf with my youngest son. Great course. Don’t know how they get it to be so green. But then I had just returned from a visit to my oldest son at Hill AFB, Ogden, Utah. He is taking command of the Ogden Air Logistics Complex there and being promoted to general. Played golf with him while there. Not every year that I get to play golf with both my boys in the same year. Plan to go to the Navy game and hope to see some BRs there Aug. 30. After that, we are going on our third photo safari in Botswana. Love to see all kinds of creatures in their own habitat and not in a zoo.

“Looking forward to staying healthy for our 60th.”

Bill Carter (Raleigh, North Carolina): “Susan and I are healthy and happy and pushing 80! We aren’t traveling as much as we did 10 years ago but are enjoying traveling closer to home. We spend a lot of time with our children and grandchildren. Our oldest grandson, John Openshaw, will be a freshman at Sewanee this fall. His younger brother, Wells, will be a sophomore in high school. Our daughter, Kate Baker, lives in Norfolk, Virginia, and has two, Carter (11) and Emery (6).

“I have been going to at least one football game a year in Lexington for several seasons. Last year, I met several brother rats for The Citadel game. This year, several of us are meeting for our home opener against Ferrum Sept. 6. We might be slower, but we’re still getting around!”

Clay Thompson (Salisbury, Maryland): “Not much doing here in the Bury. Our vacations are getting more limited due to back issues and driving. Did make it to Joe LeVine’s mini reunion and had a great time. We are planning a trip to Cape Charles, Virginia, from Oct. 2–8 with Dave and Jean Clark and another couple. Any BRs close by, stop by for a coffee.”

Ron Stultz (Williamsburg, Virginia): “79 years

of age. Still do pretty much what I want or need to do, but my knees hurt all the time. Brain? Memory is not instant anymore, and I miss the speed. Scheduled for iron infusion therapy as apparently the steel rods I and Captain America had have dissolved and stored very low iron. As always, fixing and upgrading. Finished repair of a laptop going to a college-bound granddaughter and a desktop for a grandson. Web presence: My book, ‘Trifocals. One Man’s View;’ my YouTube channel; and my website, ronstultz.com. All provide doit-yourself, Ron musings or writings about one thing or another. Entire ‘tribe’ of our children (four), grandkids (five), and four dogs will be at our home for the week starting the 19th. Always chaos but really happy we all can meet once a year for a week and get along. This will be the 46th or 47th annual meeting of the tribes.”

Marvin Thews (Franklin, Tennessee) called me in mid-July to report that he and Susan had moved from Roanoke, Virginia, to Franklin, Tennessee, to be closer to family.

Jim Lambert (Columbia, Missouri): “My family is doing well. Phyllis and I are extremely proud of our five grandchildren who graduated from high school this spring. That would be one grandson in Iowa who is going to Northwest Missouri State for football; the quads who live here in Columbia, Missouri; one granddaughter going to Western Illinois for track and cross country; one granddaughter going to Nebraska Wesleyan for volleyball and basketball; one grandson going to Southwestern Iowa for baseball; and finally, one grandson going to Westminster College for golf. I keep reminding them that they are also going to college to get a degree in something and maybe learn a thing or two.

“Phyllis and I are doing well and trying to keep up with all the activities of family around us. Not much in the way of traveling, but staying busy here in Columbia, Missouri. If anyone finds themselves out this way, we would love to see you.”

“Joe Petitta (Safety Harbor, Florida): “Had some issues this year with neuropathy and underwent some spinal surgery. Recently graduated from a walker to a cane—kinda cool! Undergoing daily physical therapy which has helped significantly. Diane just retired after 40 years as a financial advisor with VOYA Financial. Looking forward to resuming travel activity.”

Nat Sanderson (Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina): “Just doing the manly men stuff ... cutting grass, feeding squirrels/birds, painting house, changing oil in vehicles, etc. Sad to read of class members no longer with us.”

Dave Avery (Lyme, New Hampshire): “I did, in fact, get a present for my birthday this year. I

knew that my daughter would be graduating from her pharmacy program at the University of Minnesota in May 2025 and that most of her friends at the reception we planned there would be women. My hearing loss is most pronounced for female voices. Planning ahead, I sent a request June 3,

2024, to the VA for an appointment in audiology. I just received my new hearing aids today, only a month too late to be of any use for graduation. Well, they should be useful when she completes her residency at Johns Hopkins in 2 years if I’m able to attend the completion ceremony for her fellowship.

“Actually, getting a bit healthier for a time at the moment. I’m off supplemental oxygen, and the new drug Mounjaro has made it possible for me to get off daily insulin injections. Might make the 2028 reunion yet.”

John Augustine (Saint Petersburg, Florida): “I’m now 12 months away from turning 80. We may have a few BRs who are already there. Hard to believe.”

Hal Switzer (Blanco, Texas): “The father of one of my friends once said, in response to a question, ‘Of course I can’t work. I’m 79 years old.’ So that’s my excuse. I now pencil in twice as much time to cut the grass or anything else that should be done. And if it weren’t for doctors, we’d have a seriously curtailed social life! We are planning a couple of trips for the remainder of the year. First, a cruise to Alaska with a bunch of local friends in September, then a trip to Rome in late October, followed by a transatlantic cruise back to the States after that. The plan following that is a series of medical procedures (knees, feet, etc.), which will take a few months to totally recover from. Went to granddaughter’s graduation from Tulane in May, along with the trip to Abingdon, Virginia, to the mini reunion at Joe LeVine’s place. That was a really good time. I took time to watch the Army birthday parade and was very pleased with the appearance of the VMI contingent. The Institute still has it, and I think they probably always will.”

Dick Wise (Richmond, Virginia): “It saddens me to report that my BRs and I no longer gallivant around the country, visiting new cities and baseball stadiums. Phil Lanier, Howard Donald, George Walton, and Bill Welsh were on some of those escapades, which often included playing the ponies at the Saratoga Race Course. Now George and I go to The Diamond here in Richmond, Virginia, from time to time. Last week, we went to see George’s Nats’ AA team from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, play my Giants’ AA team, the Richmond Flying Squirrels. I was curious about the Giants’ supposed messiah, Bryce Eldridge, all 6 feet, 7 inches, and 240 pounds of him! He went 0-5, struck out twice with the bases loaded, and grounded into a double play to end the game, as his team lost 8-3. I see he got called up to the Giants’ AAA Sacramento, California, team yesterday. Guess the Giants overlooked his abysmal performance last Thursday.”

Wayne Burton (Saint Marys, Georgia): “Sylvia

and I are healthy and stay very active. We just completed a 19-day Viking River Cruise through all five Great Lakes. A fabulous trip and a real education for those who are not real familiar with the lakes that contain 21% of the world’s fresh water. Plan to be at the Mercer and The Citadel games this fall with George Buzzard and Lew Yeouze.”

Tom Coffey (Wytheville, Virginia): “As we know all too well, at this point in the journey, every birthday is a blessing! Only item of note for the family is that our daughter, Kelly, has been named the head of the science department at Silverdale Baptist Academy in Chattanooga, Tennessee. It appears that after teaching in the Bronx, New York; West Texas; Charleston, South Carolina; Malaysia; and Switzerland, she has finally settled down!”

Lee Chapla (widow of John Chapla) (Alexandria, Virginia): “I am well and still enjoying periodic visits to my daughters in California and Hawaii. We were planning a trip to Europe this summer to see family and old homesites but had to cancel since my daughter, who was working for NOAA in Hawaii, was fired during the DOGE purge in February. She is working temporarily in her old job, but in October will be on the search for a new job after 18 years in a career (as a marine biologist) she loves. The grandchildren in California are growing as they tend to do; Jack will be a junior in high school (hard to believe he was 9 when I brought him to VMI for the 50th!). The girls are going into eighth and 10th. The family was evacuated during the Eaton fire in Pasadena, California, in January, and fortunately, their house was spared, but there was much devastation for many, and it was very tragic. Would love to see you all and others in the class at the National Museum of the U.S. Army at Fort Belvoir!”

Patty Flavin (Carlisle, Pennsylvania) (widow of Bill Flavin): “I am doing OK. Of course, I am missing Bill and all the things that we shared— studying and discussing history, baseball, listening to murder mysteries and spy thrillers, etc. I’m now getting back to my quilting and, in the fall, hope to take some painting classes along with our daughter, Kelly, who lives here in Carlisle. Our son, Devin ’03, and his wife, Nina, will be visiting this summer along with the grandkids—Finn, Lana, and Claire—which will be great. All in all, things are OK.”

Bill Todd (Wilmington, North Carolina): “Heading out tomorrow to Puerto Rico for a Royal Caribbean cruise to the ABC islands in the Southern Caribbean. Taking our four oldest grandkids and their parents. Then, in July, we are taking the six youngest grandkids and their parents on a Disney

Class Notes

cruise. After that, we will be heading to Scotland in September to visit the “Outlander” series locations that Kathy and one of her neighbor friends wanted to see. Needless to say, the husbands will sneak off to play a little golf at St. Andrews and other locations we might be able to escape to. We are still blessed with good health and enjoying golf and the beach here in Wilmington, North Carolina, and Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. Would be happy to host any BRs who might be visiting the area. I will be happy to schedule the timing with General Todd, otherwise known as Kathy Todd.”

Terry Emerson (Winter Park, Florida): “Sure hope you enjoyed your Viking trip on the Nile. Was in Egypt twice back in the ’70s and ’80s ... magnificent place ... On the second trip, I got to climb the Great Pyramid at sunset. Did bribe the guard to look the other way. Amazing graffiti on the flat top. Watched the sunset, and then the lights came up on the sound and light show. Made a quick scamper down before any trouble could have happened. One of my great memories.

“Anyway, Lois and I just completed our Viking trip to Bordeaux via Paris and wanted to relate a couple of VMI events. First, we managed to have a glass of champagne on the Place du Clocher in Saint-Émilion. Such a wonderful area and loaded with history. Then, while docked in Bordeaux and walking on the Quai des Chartrons on our way to the wine museum, we were stopped by an American couple who noted my VMI shirt and said, ‘VMI, really?’ He said he sent a student there several years ago. I said I hope he had a good experience, and he said that he did. Lastly, saw an older guy with a Virginia Tech shirt on in Winter Park, Florida, at a wine and food event, and I came up behind him and sang a round of ‘Tech, Tech, Hokie High’... We had a nice laugh.

“We are both doing fine and still ‘carpe dieming’ as much as we can. We are about to close up the house and head north to the cottage on Lake Huron (Port Austin, Michigan) and settle in for the summer season. Looking forward to getting together again at our 60th! I also note that our Class of ’68 material keeps moving earlier and earlier in the Review! Good to me!”

1969

Walter Judd

It is early August, and the weather around here this summer has been unseasonably hot and humid. My garden for raising food for needy persons has been bountiful and very productive. Sadly, my golf time has been cut back in the unhealthy heat. We start this session by finishing a report on the class outing at the Flowers’ house in Williamsburg on New Market Day and reviewing Bob Biddle’s day at Arlington Cemetery.

As the last class notes were turned in just before New Market Day 2025, these notes pick up some details for the event reported already at the Flowers’ house in Williamsburg:

Webb Hatch has coached 3 years in the PIT and has joined the fraternity of retired basketball coaches. He knows all the recent college stars who have moved on to something else or are playing overseas in professional leagues.

Bruce Gregory saw the amazing come-frombehind baseball victory April 30 in Hampton. He gave us a play-by-play account and even brought up the crazy play coming before the game-ending homer.

Bob Flowers uses his pool for exercising in a no-fall environment. The water is very forgiving and just gets you wetter when you tip over!

Gayle Morris got out to the party in spite of several back and neck surgeries. It was wonderful hearing her brag about her granddaughter getting ready to graduate from the University of Georgia. While she uses a walker, she moved well with a little help.

Bunny and Carolyn Paulette met over 70 years ago when she moved to the house across the street from Bunny. There was a fair amount of snickering when one of the ladies mentioned dating at VMI. Apparently, it was unlike the similar activities at other colleges.

Bob Flowers borrowed from Brig. Gen. McCarthy ’933, exec to Gen. Marshall ’901, the script for today’s New Market ceremony. We were pleased to participate as Mike Santoro read the script. Gary Mackey and I have some photos if you care to view.

Glenn White had more success grilling burgers at the party than he did surf fishing the week before at Nags Head.

Greetings, Brother Rats, and Friends of the VMI Class of 1969,

At the Keydet Club Leadership Outing, several BRs played golf at Lexington Golf & Country Club June 6. Playing together were Jim Chapman, John Sebrell, Mike Santoro, and Walt Judd, with Bruce Gregory serving as our ridealong gallery. Bob Waldo played with others. Dave Prugh, Mary Alice Wright, and Ruth Waldo joined us for a wonderful supper on the balcony of Moody Hall. See pictures at the VMI Alumni Agencies website. Our teams did not place high

enough to earn cash, but Bob Waldo had his name at the top of the seniors’ long drive card for a few minutes. ... It was a nice, warm summer day. The golf course in Lexington is starting to change now, with many trees removed as the course owners prepare for the course makeover sometime soon. Several holes will be changed and others lengthened. Not too many courses have five par3s these days.

At the senior VMI graduates’ luncheon July 22 in Williamsburg, Drew Brantley, Bob Flowers, Jim Chapman, Tom Morris, and I ate dinner together and carried on a lively conversation. We heard a report from Col. Travis Homiak ’95, the present chief of staff at VMI, about many things going on at VMI. Col. Homiak was stationed at VMI several times in his career and eventually stayed after retiring at the PMS for the Marine detachment there.

Bob Biddle’s memorial ceremony at Arlington Cemetery was held July 28, a sweltering hot Monday. The baker’s dozen BRs who attended were Jack O’Donnell, Brant Collins, Bob Flowers, Drew Brantley, Fred Downey, Lou Sidney (with wife Tanya), Bruce Gregory, Bob Heely, Gary Mackey, Mike Santoro, Lee Swats, Walt Judd, and Bobby Watts (who brought his brother-inlaw, Dr. Billy Andrews, with him). 50th Reunion black shirts were the uniform of the day, and most guys wore them. Jim Long was unable to travel that day, but he had seen our communication link with Bo III (another lieutenant colonel in the Marines), and I posted the invitation details on the Facebook page. Gary Mackey posted pictures on our class page after the ceremony. Brant Collins, Walt Judd, and Bob Heely also took photos and could share them. Webb Hatch, Bob Waldo, Gary Braswell, Bunny Paulette, and Bruce Noel were among the BRs who ended up with conflicts at the last moment and did not make it. Having been to several other memorial services at Arlington through the years, I was very impressed with the way this one worked out. We all met in what are called the Arlington National Cemetery administrative offices for the gathering before the service and drove together behind the car with the urn/box to the burial site. Before the 1300 service, we met several members of Bob’s extended family and heard a nephew (a retired Marine officer, as well) tell of his impressions of Bob’s life and Marine career. To repeat his message succinctly, Bobo (called “Bud” by his family)

did not seek medals or accolades for his acts of bravery and outstanding service. He was a force recon expert who spent 2 and a half years in RVN early in his career. Several of us heard the nephew later relate some examples of his acts while serving on those hazardous missions in combat, but we got the impression Bobo did not allow any of those acts to be written up or submitted for awards or decorations. We BRs got the strong message: Bobo continued to excel in the Marines as he had at VMI on the football field and wrestling mat.

As the cars left the parking lot near the ANC meeting place, we proceeded to a spot in the cemetery where all the gravestones were not exactly the same. There, on a steep grassy hill, stood two platoons of Marines commanded by captains, plus a color guard, behind a Marine lieutenant colonel. A small band in bright red uniforms stood on the hill next to the Marines, and a squad of riflemen was near on an adjoining hill. An honor squad of burly lance corporals led by another lieutenant colonel, a Navy chaplain, and a female gunny conducted the service. The service was more ceremony than most and was certainly a tribute to a hero ending his time on earth. At the conclusion of the military rites, we BRs gave an Old Yell for the Class of ’69 and sang the “Doxology” for Bob and his family. We still have amazingly strong voices for such occasions. Thanks to Bob Heely and Bob Flowers for leading those acts. As attendees were leaving, the family was directed to a small patch of ground slightly up the hill and to the right of where the ceremony was conducted. That spot was to be the actual burial site for Bob and was cited as section 4, spot 2847 (with several letters I

did not catch at the end). The time was now 1400, and everyone participating in the ceremony was hot. We all returned to our cars and air conditioning and exited ANC.

I was fortunate enough to speak with BRs Judge Brant Collins and Dr. Jack O’Donnell before the service. Brant and his wife, Betsy, are both Vietnam veterans with plenty of tales to tell: He was a soldier and she as a nurse. After hearing about the song “Bad Moon Rising” sung by Creedence Clearwater Revival in Bob’s eulogy speech, Brant told of hearing that song from an AF aircraft speeding over the jungles while delivering tracts in the psywar effort. In conversation with Jack, I heard about his close relationship with Dr. Mike Delaney and the Delaney family. Mike now leads a quiet life in Northern Virginia and prefers his solace. Jack still has family in the area and comes over from Michigan periodically.

From all appearances, we are missing some news about the passing of BRs through the years. If you know of the dates or circumstances of BR deaths, please pass them to me. I will tell the rest of you about them and also advise the VMI Alumni Agencies. Jim Campbell still maintains our very interesting class page with before and after pictures of all known BRs. The photos published at reunions mostly come from Jim’s collection.

In mid-July, Scott Rhodes in Great Falls, Montana, wrote: “Well, put another check in the ‘heart attack avoided’ column. Thursday, I went in for a stress test (as a preliminary to meet a new doctor). Before the test, they ran an EKG on me. The tech looked at the results for several minutes and said, ‘I’ll be right back.’ He and my cardiologist came back and told me to go to the ER and not to pass go. It seems I had no ‘P’ waves. They put in a pacemaker the next day. The following Monday, they put stents in three of my coronary arteries. I am home now and feel good.” I suggest Scott’s new name should be Lucky Scott!

Don Mercer took the male part of his clan fishing in July out in the Chesapeake Bay. Don took one sonin-law and three grandsons (all sons of his three daughters). They caught 76 keepers and others were released due to size. One grandson was not really happy to hold an eel but liked his other not-so-big fish.

Tim Rahm moved to Silver Spring, Maryland, to be closer to his son and his clan. “I wanted to let you know that Rosemary and I have become ‘baby chasers.’ We have moved from

Iowa to Maryland to be close to our son, Paul; daughter-in-law, Alexandra; and grandsons, Ted and William. I finally retired in June. We are looking forward to this new adventure. We will be going to the VMI-Navy game and hopefully some alumni events.”

Fred Downey, Joe Flanz, Lou Sidney, and Joe Lynch all attended the rat send-off for Northern Virginia rats in early August. “There was a large crowd of about 50 incoming rats and 100 family members and other alumni. The rats look to be a good group, motivated and, of course, somewhat nervous about what is coming. About half intend to pursue science and engineering, and the other half, one of the LA majors. The ’69 BRs noted that we matriculated 60 years ago and wondered if we looked as young as these new rats!”

Wade Wineman, who spent 1 year at VMI before heading to Mississippi State, asked about Glenn Watson, a 3-year man. Glenn, please check in!

In late May, Mike Santoro sent this note: “I played golf yesterday with Bob Flowers and his son, Rob. We played in an outing at Fort Gregg-Adams (formerly and in the future named Fort Lee). It was a fundraising outing for the local post (chapter) of the Society of American Military Engineers. Rob is active in the local post and, of course, Bob was involved with this organization nationally during his career. We played as a threesome, with us taking turns making the fourth shot in the scramble format. We also armed ourselves with a fistful of mulligans and took on the course. We had a great time, although our three under par score was not good enough to finish among the top 3. We took satisfaction in the fact that our score was 69 in honor of our class. Bob was asked to open the proceedings with a few comments in memory of the late Major General Bo Temple ’75, who served his career as an Army engineer and, apparently, had been a big supporter of this particular SAME chapter. On the Virginia War Memorial side of things, the Foundation has just published a coffee table-style book that outlines the 75th anniversary of the memorial and lists all 12,000 or so names of Virginians who made the ultimate sacrifice in all our nation’s wars since World War II. We had a nice event to kick off the publishing of the book. Martha and I were there, as was Charlie Bryan. By the way, the book is so big, I may need to buy a bigger coffee table! I am writing this a few days before Memorial Day, but my plans include a full day at the memorial. The Commonwealth’s Memorial Day commemoration is in the morning, and I am staying around to read 50 names in the first-ever Say their Names Marathon, where each of the

12,000 names (including our BRs) will be read aloud. I will let you know how it goes.” (Mike said later he said his names fast, but the event still lasted well into the evening.)

The VMI Alumni Agencies sent out a message in July offering a virtual walk-through of the plans and designs as they existed at that time of the new Center for Advancement. “Many of you have expressed interest in the transition from Moody and Neikirk Halls to the new Center for Advancement: Academics, Engagement, Philanthropy. The design for the 100% state-owned building will be at the forefront of gathering, meeting, and academic spaces. Construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2026.” I can share the message with its fun flythrough of the new spaces; just ask. The slight delays in the building schedule offer us a few more opportunities to see the old Moody Hall this fall and winter.

When Col. Homiak spoke to the senior alumni in Williamsburg this summer, he mentioned a new solution to a problem many of us were not aware of. When VMI competes for the cadets with full ROTC scholarships, they compete against other institutions with strong ROTC programs. What Col. Homiak and others discovered was that many of these persons with so-called full scholarships still had to pay for certain items at the welcoming schools. The fact that those remaining costs were a responsibility of the cadet gave other schools an opportunity to attract those same designated cadets. The others simply gave the full ROTC scholarship winners help in paying those incidental costs. VMI learned they needed to compete for that pool of attractive cadets by offering a new type of financial help. Thus, the Call to Duty Scholarships were started. These new scholarships pay for the incidental expenses, so the ride is a complete full ride. The gaining school (VMI!) gets the cadets with a very large potential for duty in the military services. If an incoming cadet is an out-of-state cadet, the value of their scholarship is greater than an in-state recipient, and VMI gets the benefit of a great student and a higher level of income. Bottom line: Supporting the Call to Duty Scholarships is a wonderful way to help VMI stay attractive to the very students that help us maintain our strong reputation as a top producer of commissioned officers via the ROTC ranks.

Football and other fall sports start later this month. (August!) Rats show up, and school gets going for the next school year. Send your support in any way that appeals to you and continue to be a part of the most interesting place in Virginia.

In the Spirit, Walt

1970

Steve Talley

Hello, Brother Rats, Family, and Friends of the VMI Class of 1970,

I must start with the sad news of the passing of Brother Rat Will Huntley June 18, 2025. His daughters, Anna and Karen, and their mother, Sarah, as well as his brother, Lawson, and a special friend, Lee, held a service for Will June 21, 2025, in Florence, South Carolina. He is buried in Monroe, North Carolina. Jim Mawyer, Ed Andrews, Ned Perrow, and Alvah Arnn attended. Ned gave the eulogy, and Alvah reported that he did an excellent job. Will attended Hargrave Military Academy along with Ned and A.C. Hargrave will honor Will in the next edition of the school’s publication, the Guide On. As is customary, on behalf of our class, Russ Marshall, our excellent flower guy, sent a red, white, and yellow flower arrangement to the service. Rest in peace, Will. A.C. Arnn is a busy bee these days helping folks in Western North Carolina repair water and sewer facilities damaged by Hurricane Helene. “Staying active keeps me going.” He and Beth spent time in late July at their vacation home in Kill Devil Hills, and they are looking forward to returning to the OBX in October for the annual gala gathering of a large contingent of BRs, a great success over the past few years, thanks to BR Jim Maywer On Aug. 16, a new class matriculated at the Institute. Lives changed forever. The VMI director of admissions, Joe Hagy, told me recently that he is expecting between 495 and 500 new cadets— not too shabby. Neil Steverson told me that Jan Abernathy ’67, class agent, asked his class to share memories of their Matriculation Day and suggested maybe I should do the same, which I did. Many of you responded. I will get to that later. In late April, Gary and Lynn Weishaar, along with Stix and Nancy Chandler, went on a Canadian train journey. From Richmond, they traveled to New York City; Montreal; Quebec; and Halifax, Nova Scotia. “We had a great trip, met interesting people, and ate too much local seafood. It is nice riding, looking out the window, drinking, playing cards, and just relaxing while viewing great scenery.” After Canada, Gary and Lynn joined their family at their lake house. In June, they spent a week in North Myrtle Beach with friends and then a week at Topsail Beach with their children and their families. Then it’s on to

the aforementioned North Carolina Outer Banks gathering in late October, OBX. “Retirement is exhausting.” Stix and Nancy recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in Orange Park, Florida. Nancy, 50 years with Stix should be enough to drive anybody crazy. Admirably, you have weathered the storm. All the better for it.

Tommy and Jill Cooke are on the road again, boondocking at 9,500 feet in late July in the vicinity of Twin Lakes, Colorado, where their son, Brad Cooke ’98, owns property. Boondocking—camping in remote, undeveloped areas without hookups like water and electricity. Not for babies. Keep in mind that Tommy and Jill have all those amenities aboard their big ol’ RV, which sports a license plate that reads, FOMO—fear of missing out. I don’t think these two intrepid campers are gonna miss out on anything. “The scenery here is pretty and peaceful, surrounded by the Collegiate Mountains, the Mosquito Range, and the Arkansas River.” After leaving this paradise, they headed to Santa Fe then Amarillo on the way home.

I joined Al Johnson, Bob Candido, Howie Dewolf, Bob Sperberg, Al Bast, Warren Wagner, Ned Haley, Russ Marshall, Mike Carruth, and chief organizer Bob “Fuzzy” Patrick at Mike’s American grill in Springfield, Virginia, May 17, to celebrate our Sunday, May 17, 1970, graduation from the Institute 62 years ago. Since then, 1970 BRs have achieved great works in life, including these guys, for sure. Most of them are veterans, and some of our best. We had a great time reminiscing about graduation day and our time together at the “I.” In Fuzzy’s words, “many myths, tall tales, and ‘lies’ were exchanged or explained.” How do you explain a lie? Oh, that’s right—another lie. Fuzzy already has Monday, May 18, 2026, on

his calendar for the next celebration. Put it on yours. Thanks to Fuzzy, this BR gathering is becoming an annual event and growing in attendance. Al Johnson says, “We need a bigger boat.” I vote for a round table— it makes hitting your target in a food fight much easier. All BRs are welcome. It’s worth the torturous drive to NOVA. Let Fuzzy know you will be coming. Contact me if you don’t have his number.

Howie DeWolf announced that he and Barbara have added three great-grandchildren to the family, and their younger daughter is expecting her third child in late August or early September, which will bring the total to 19 grandchildren, and rarely enough these days, they all live 20-30 minutes away. “Needless to say, family activities are keeping us busy.” I can’t imagine! Howie says he is hoping to make it down to the Institute for a football game this season.

Phil Anderson wrote to say his 6-foot, 2-inch, 200-pound, football and basketball playing sophomore grandson, “is interested in going to VMI.” In addition to those bona fides, he finished his freshman year in high school with all As. “You bet I’m proud of him and will do all I can to encourage his interest in VMI,” says Phil. Keep after him, BR.

Recent police reports from Ocean Isle, North Carolina, indicate that in late July, residents sighted a gang of VMI ’70 BRs identified as Lee Moon, Peel Dillard, Dick Marshall, Lew Reynolds, Mike Sisler, and Ralph Costen. Along with them were strikingly handsome ladies, possible accomplices, including Penelope, Paula, Marsha, Connie I, Connie II, and Judy, and associate Tom Blickensderfer—names that may be aliases. However, the sheriff reported to me that the group had committed no crimes, at least not recently. It appears they were at the beach home of Ralph and Marsha Costen to celebrate the time-honored tradition of bonding in the VMI way, with food, booze, golf,

and sunscreen, spreading joy, happiness, and good cheer wherever they go, as they have been doing for three-quarters of a century, more or less.

On May 29, at the Army and Navy Club in Arlington, Carl Strock spoke to VMI alums and guests at a networking and D-Day remembrance event. Two of our Als, Al Bast and Al Johnson, attended. Jule Strock and her son, John Strock ’98, along with his wife, Betsy, were there, as well. Carl spoke about VMI’s participation in the June 1944 D-Day landings and mentioned several VMI men who died in action in Normandy June 5–6. He discussed how World War II impacted the VMI Class of 1970 through their families’ experiences during that time and encouraged the assembly to record those experiences for posterity, because “the lessons learned can assist our generation and those who follow us in navigating life’s challenges.”

On D-Day, in Staunton, Virginia, Emily and I attended a memorial service for George Bowler Tullidge III, sergeant, 507th Parachute Infantry, 82nd Airborne Division, who died June 8, 1944, from wounds received near La Fiere, France. Ann Bell, George’s sister, arranged the service with the help of Charlie Bishop ’68 and Lee Swats ’69, her high school classmates. George’s mother, Ann Tullidge, gave George a booklet containing inspirational quotes to take along on his deployment, which became known as “A Paratrooper’s Faith.” She distributed over 300,000 copies over the years. Carl has a copy he has carried with him ever since receiving it some 50 years ago. Ann invited Carl, also a member of the 82nd Airborne Division, to give the eulogy for George. He spoke to those present about how one’s unit became one’s family and how lives cut short in battle affected not only the families and friends of the lost ones but also their comrades in arms. He applauded Anne’s effort to remember her brother and all those who sacrificed their lives to protect America. A memorable D-Day, indeed. Turning now to our matriculation stories. There were many, so I had to pare them down a bit. I hope I preserved their essence. The Matriculation Book shows that 354 guys signed in Sept. 8, 1966—59 years ago. Gene Feedman and Joe Girlando have birthdays on that day. “You think you are special, scumbag, just because you were born Sept. 8? Get down and give 50 pushups, worm.” Chips Lanier signed in Sept. 13. I spoke to Chips recently about that. He permitted me to share his story. His wife, Karol, was in the room, offering colorful commentary. Just days before matriculation, he had an emergency hemorroidectomy to fix outof-control hemorrhoids, an excruciating and debilitating condition. Upon matriculating, on

Class Notes

doctor’s orders (his surgeon was a VMI grad), he went straight to the post hospital for a stay with Doc Old. So, Chips was the last cadet to sign the “book” and the first cadet on the gim in our class. It’s time for the jokes to fly on this one. Chips can handle it, so go big. On a more somber note, sadly, 53 of our fellow matriculants are gone. The rest of us soldier on.

From Chad Lash: “I’ve got one for you. Being terrified in the first hours of matriculation was bad enough, but one event has always stood out. As we left the Quartermaster’s Depot, the bag of stuff I got there slipped off my shoulder and hit an upperclassman. He pulled me from the squad, had me put down my bag, and gave me a few repetitions of, ‘Give me 10, rat!’ After that seeming eternity, my tormentor put me back in the squad, which had halted so that all could enjoy my humiliation. So much for flying below the radar.” I heard from Chad recently. In August, he and Caryn went cruising around the U.K. with stops in the Shetland and Orkney Islands. The pushups prepared him for that.

From Artie Pates: “Since my father was in the Class of ’45, I had an idea of the hell awaiting us. I packed light since I knew we would have to haul all our stuff up to the fourth stoop. They cut off what little hair I had left. I ended up carrying Al Johnson’s footlocker. [I think it’s high time that Al Johnson be investigated.] My room (459) became the ‘party’ room. Cadre closed the windows, turned on the sink’s hot water, and the endless exercise began. ... I always hated having to clean up all the puddles of sweat.” (Suck it up, rat.)

From Bob Hawthorne: “I came with Dick Cheatham. A cadre officer made me drag Dick’s heavy trunk up to the fourth stoop while another kept yelling at us. [Now, Cheatham needs to be investigated.] We had five in our room facing House Mountain: Kent Schlussel, Gary Tyler, Morgan Armstrong, Mike Ferrari, and me. Mike was the only one who did not play an instrument. The cadre gave him a mandatory, on-the-spot audition that included tapping his foot to a march tune. He passed, and they made him a drummer. [That explains the band’s performance in those days.] Gary Tyler [a real musician] helped Bill the Bugler on many occasions.” Bob had lunch with Ken Schlussel and retired judge Morgan Armstrong, who is also a mystery novelist known for a series of novels based on actual Virginia events. More on him later.

From Dick Cheatham: “Thirst (dehydration), constipation, and constant movement.” (Hard to explain, seeing as how poor Hawthorne had to carry your trunk.)

From Phil Jornlin: “I had never visited the Institute before Matriculation Day. We drove from Wilmington, Delaware, intent on arriving early, so I could choose a good room. The cadre officers set me straight on that. Didn’t quite go the way I expected. During cadre week, I recall one of our fellow matriculants was named ‘Guess.’ I remember hearing his name echo in the main barracks when upperclassmen would yell at him on the stoops, inquiring as to what his name was. The response was, ‘Guess, sir,’ which prompted cadre rage and multiple pushups for disrespect and insubordination.” (The matriculation list shows no incoming rat by that name; however, Phil and I have come up with a logical explanation. The “guess” incident was a ruse, perpetrated by cadre to keep rats “guessing,” and terrified at the prospect of doing yet more pushups.)

From Neil Steverson: “I left Virginia Beach for the beautiful Shenandoah Valley in September 1966. We stopped off in Charlottesville for the night and stayed in a Holiday Inn, where I put a quarter in a vibrating bed to relieve stress. It did not work. I had never been to VMI. We pulled into the parking lot next to Lee Chapel. I looked at the beautiful W&L campus and thought, ‘Well, this isn’t so bad.’ Then a Mink came along and pointed me down the street. That view was very different. After signing the book, I made it to the mess hall, immediately got lost from my squad, and landed at the regimental staff table, where a large man with lots of stripes on his sleeves and a deep voice said, ‘Welcome to Mount Olympus.’ [Burt Nance ’67, maybe?] I soon learned what he meant. The Four Preps song, ‘I was a big man yesterday, but boy, you ought to see me now,’ played over the speaker in the mess hall. How apropos! The rest of the day was a blur.”

From Jim Mawyer: “My brother [Buddy Mawyer ’69] told me to wear lightweight clothing, so I wore my Richard Petty T-shirt. I should have been suspicious when he grinned and dropped me off. Denny Long ’68 noticed it and asked if I was in love with Richard Petty. All the other cadre joined in. That was a day I thought would never end. A brother rat, Paul Edmunds, was behind me in single file, as we got our gear at the QMD. Twenty-some years later, I was playing golf in Maryland and wearing a VMI cap. Edmunds appeared during the social hour. I introduced myself as a member of the Class of ’70. He looked stunned and said that he owed me a huge thanks because I wore that Richard Petty T-shirt; no one bothered him all day!” (Brother-ratism at its best.)

From Bobby Brown: “I showed up at VMI wearing a pair of madras pants. What a colossal mistake! I remember comments like, ‘Rat, who

the &*^% do you think you are?’ or, ‘This rat must think he’s going on vacation.’ I did at least 500 pushups because of those ^&*% pants. Never wore them again. [I falsely accused Bobby of being a preppy. He set me straight, insisting there was not a drop of preppy blood in him. Just a regular high school jock, he says.] My father [Bobby Brown ’932] was a tank commander in North Africa with Patton.” (Not the kind of lineage from which a preppy springs!)

From Bill Thomas: “In September ’66, I arrived at VMI with long bleached hair, suntanned skin, and a beach bum attitude—all big mistakes. I knew too many upperclass ‘swamp rats’ from Virginia Beach. When asked at matriculation if I played a musical instrument, I replied, ‘Yes, keyboards.’ Cadre designated me to Band Company, whereupon I queried, ‘What in the ^&%* am I going to do, carry a piano?’ (Another bigger mistake.) That began my indoctrination into a regular regimen of pushups, sit-ups, sweat parties, and swift lessons of how to keep my mouth shut, a lesson unlearned to this day.

“I enjoy reading your newsletters. I’m retired and have lived in Jupiter, Florida, for 15 years. I’ve been married for 28 years, have two step-sons, and five step-grandsons. I have a 32-year-old daughter, a son, my grandson, and a granddaughter. I love and respect my time and experiences at VMI, as well as the many friendships and legacies created there. I regret not having stayed in closer touch with all I knew and those who remember me. May God bless all of you and yours. In the spirit! Regards, Billy (L.A. Beach Swamp Rat) Thomas.” (Good on you, Billy. It’s never too late.)

From Cameron Seay: “Lying in bed in a pool of sweat around midnight Sept. 8, 1966, in a five-man room near [Main] Arch, I wondered what I’d gotten myself into. The cadre took us to the barracks in squads. An upperclassman demanded I sound off, ‘Seay, D.C., Goshen, Virginia, sir!’ ‘Rat, are you related to Admiral Seay [’929]?’ I proudly belted out, ‘Yes, sir, he’s my uncle.’ ‘Rat,’ he said, ‘do you know how many times I’ve had to repeat the admiral’s statics class?’ I had no idea what statics was then. ‘Ed, Sam, Mike, come over here and see what I’ve found.’ After more calls to sound off, I learned that my tormentor’s comrades, like him, were on their second or third go-rounds with the admiral’s classes. I cannot remember how many pushups I had to do before being allowed to continue with my squad. One thing became very clear to me. I laid low from that moment on, and never, ever pretended to know that man I had so often called Uncle Cameron, the admiral, from

the mechanical engineering department.”

From Ben Morris: “My parents drove me to VMI from Norfolk. At the main entrance, a cadet instructed me to take my belongings into the barracks. He noted that I had brought my golf clubs. The cadet kindly told me to put the clubs back into the trunk. I didn’t think anything of it, but thank God. As I had to retrieve my suitcase and double time up to the fourth stoop, I was sure glad I didn’t have those clubs. I can’t even imagine how much #!%* I would have received if I had them. Five of us made it to our room, one being Jim Shelby, my classmate from Punahou School in Honolulu. My final memory was

seeing my parents at the closed gate; my mother was crying, and my father was smiling. I had no clue what I was in for.”

From Tom Morehouse: “My dad gave me sage advice: ‘Son, no matter how hard you think it’s going to be, it will be worse.’ How true that turned out to be! Sallie and I have just returned from a week in southwest Ireland, where I joined 15 other retired Army Finance Corps Officers and their wives. We played some of the most incredible golf courses in the world. The weather also cooperated, and we had lovely warm, sunny days with little wind, not what the Irish links courses are known for. Next up: Scotland in September. Retired life is good!” Yes, it is.

From Chip Humphrey: “I remember sitting in [Memorial] Hall and listening to First Captain Bert Nance’s speech. Little did we know what we were in for!

From Russ Marshall: “My mom and dad drove me to VMI from Louisa through Charlottesville and Waynesboro over to Greenville and down Route 11. I had one suitcase. We got out of the car. I shook hands with dad. Mom said to call collect if I wanted to come home, and they left—no fanfare. One memory is that in [Memorial] Hall, someone [Tuck Worsham ’67?] told us, ‘Look to your left and right; one of those guys isn’t going to graduate.’ Jerry Kuehn, Conrad Strickland, Carl Strock, and I shared rat Room 424, and all of us graduated (eventually).”

And finally, from me. I remember Tuck Worsham ’67 saying (paraphrased and embellished, no doubt) in Memorial Hall, “Rats, fall and winter are coming. The leaves will fall from the trees. Days will shorten. Cold winds, freezing rain, and snow will dampen your spirits and increase your drudgery. Spring will return, leaves will come back, temperatures will rise, and, rats, you will still be in the Rat Line.” I spoke to Mr. Worsham recently, who told me he viewed his job as RDC president to “scare the &$*# out of us rats on day one, to instill fear.” Mission accomplished on that front, Tuck. However, he went on to say that he believed the VMI experience ultimately teaches us that our fears drive us to the extent we let them and that we can push fear aside, face adversity in life, and function despite it. So, Tuck’s comments to us were part of the VMI “tearing down” process, but there was a “build back” process, as well. I think I get it.

And on that happy note, as Warren used to say, “in the spirit,” we are VMI.

“Just think, in a few years, you are gonna look like us!” Bob Lynd ’50B at our shared dinner during our 55th.

David Ellington

Class Notes

I hope his plans come to fruition, and we are all able to catch up with him.

The timing of the submission of these quarterly notes is always accompanied by a feeling of foreboding mixed with excitement between the excitement of announcing we have weathered another period without the loss of another BR or significant other and the sad announcement of another such loss. Thankfully, we have passed another issue deadline without such a proclamation. There are certainly BRs and family members who continue to suffer from various and sundry health problems for whom support from many BRs is greatly appreciated, but our population is stable at this time.

A couple of updated connections surfaced from folks we haven’t heard much from through the years: Kevin Young and Craig Biegel. I noticed while sending out birthday cards that Kevin’s address in Eastern Kentucky was very near one of the routes Jane and I take to visit my son in Cincinnati. This ultimately resulted in a visit with Kevin on a recent trip, where he met me wearing a VMI ball hat! Kevin looks great and looked as if he could suit up and start shooting hoops without any problem. After leaving VMI, Kevin went to Eastern Kentucky, where he graduated in ’71 with a degree in clinical psychology, and then obtained a master’s degree from Morehead State. He then worked for a mental health provider before moving on to working in the boilermaker’s union, where he rose to become the president of the Kentucky state union. Kevin and his wife, Vicki, were instrumental in starting and nourishing the girls basketball team at the local high school. His son, Kurtis, named after VMI BB player, Curtis Beach ’68, followed his father and namesake and played college basketball and then coached college and high school basketball for another 30 years. Kevin’s grandson is continuing the family tradition on the hardwood and is also a quarterback on the local high school team. Vicki passed away in 2023, and Kevin spends a lot of time on his 120-acre farm outside of Grayson and has taken up golf after finding that he had aged out of basketball and softball. He hits the links once or twice a week. I am sure his athletic prowess has transferred well to his new sport. He closed by saying he hoped he could make the 55th Reunion, as he would like to reconnect with his rat roommates, Billy Rose, John Caulfield, Mike North, and John Ashman

The other voice from the past is that of Craig Biegel. The depth and breadth of Craig’s educational attainment and experiences since graduation are both impressive and wide ranging. After graduating from VMI, Craig first obtained a master’s degree in international relations and national security in 1973 from Lehigh University. This was followed by a law degree from UVA in

1978 and a job with a law firm in Philadelphia. During this time, he rose to the rank of lieutenant commander in the Navy Reserve. In 2009, he obtained a master’s degree in the history of science at Oregon State. This was followed by a Ph.D. in the history of science with a minor in U.S. history with emphasis on American Civil War history from Florida State in 2014. Craig said that his professor at FSU told him that “I made him work harder on his lectures than he had in years with all my comments, mostly about VMI graduates’ involvements.” Craig has now retired from active practice of the law, but until about a year ago, he was still lecturing internationally in Denmark and Sweden in addition to the USA on the historical interaction of lawyers and medicine, the environment, and Civil War history. He now spends most of his time in Corvallis, Oregon, working his 8,000-square-foot garden and tending 25 fruit trees.

Lanny and Terry Sue Gault never cease to amaze. Despite issues of joints replaced, replaced joints getting infected, leaky heart valves, and more birthdays, the dynamic duo continues with daily workouts and travels, with their latest soirees including trips to Hilton Head, where they saw Jill and Tommy Cooke ’70 and Susan and Bob Copty ’70 and a recent trip to the Mediterranean Sea with stops in Athens and Venice. Not to fall behind, and the winner of this edition’s Ferdinand Magellan Award, Dickie and Mary Ruffin Randolph’s itinerary boggles the mind. This spring, they went to Portugal and Spain. They said it was wonderful. The only down note was that when they visited Dickie’s namesake region, Aragon, he remained a complete unknown. Fleeting fame, indeed. But this was just a warmup. August featured a trip to Glacier National Park and the Canadian Rockies, followed by plans next May for visits to Singapore and Indonesia, and then on to Morocco the following November. We all await with bated breath the picture of these two riding on the back of a camel! Recently, from a completely different direction, comes an interesting historical connection between Mary Ruffin and John Tyler, the 10th president of the U.S. Recently, Harrison Ruffin Tyler died at the age of 96. He was the grandson—yes, that’s correct, grandson—of the 10th president. His brother, Lyon Gardiner Tyler Jr., is possibly familiar to some of the history majors in our class as he was a history professor at VMI from 1967–72 before going to The Citadel, where he taught for another 20 years. The connection is that Lyon Gardiner Tyler Sr. married a Ruffin, to whom Mary Ruffin is related. One wonders if, while sleeping through one of Professor Tyler’s classes as a cadet, Dickie

knew he would one day be a relative? More amazing is that the time between President Tyler’s birth and his last grandson’s death was 235 years. Mind boggling, indeed.

I got a very nice note from Dave Coulter. After VMI, Dave obtained a master’s degree from MCV-VCU in hospital administration. Interestingly, he and Mac Garrett lived in the same six-unit apartment building in the Fan District of Richmond as Jane and I did when I was in medical school. They lived on the third floor; we lived on the ground floor, and not once did we have to call the police for boisterous activity. After MCV, Dave worked in several hospital systems in Virginia, Maryland, and North Carolina before retiring in Cary, North Carolina, where he now lives. He and his wife, Susan, have two children and one grandchild. Dave and Susan spend their time volunteering, playing a little golf and pickleball, and sailing. He, like several other BRs, has become an avid gardener, with roses being his specialty. As to his state of mind, he states, “I am often reminded of our life by a song from one of the Eagles’ guitarists, Joe Walsh, ‘Just Lucky That Way ’ I think that might sum it up quite well.”

John Biggs continues to improve and amaze with his recovery from his partial leg amputation. With a prosthesis, he has been walking since the end of March and is trying to wean himself off of the use of the cane he is using. He continues to hit golf balls, works out daily, and hopes to be able to get back on his bike soon. John is still traveling, spending time in Florida on the beach and then on to Vicksburg, where his great-grandfather was captured in the Civil War. He was impressed with the entire visit until he visited a field hospital and was overwhelmed by all the amputation saws on display.

While it’s only in July that the Tour de France gets top billing, our own tour de Virginia ’71 continues to roll year-round. Herb Whitley, Van Jolissaint, and Rick Littleton continue to burn up the bike trails of Central and Western Virginia almost every week. From the Chessie Trail here in Lexington to Piney River, the New River State Park Trail, to the High Bridge Trail near Farmville, they are always pedaling. This is followed by lunch with the telling of a few “tales.” Herb missed a couple of rides while vacationing in the cooler temperatures of Nova Scotia this summer. Rick also spends a lot of time fly fishing from Occoquon Creek to Lake Moomaw in Bath County down to Claytor Lake near Radford. In addition, Rick just finished an archery competition with his local archery club, in which there were 125 archers from

several states. Truly an outdoor Renaissance man between biking, fishing, and now bow shooting. Jane and I had supper with Worth and Dana Roberts in Cincinnati. Both are doing well and look great. Worth gave me an article from a sailing magazine about Rives Potts’ successes and accomplishments as a sailor and what it takes to achieve success. It was a fascinating read. Several weeks later, I heard from Rives, who is doing well.

It’s summertime in Lexington, truly the quiet time of the year. Earlier this spring, Pat and Larry Wiese, Jane, and I took a trip to Ireland. We landed in Dublin and then circumnavigated the island. We stayed in a beautiful castle, then on to a hotel in Portrush, where they were making final preparations for the British Open golf tournament. We then met up with and stayed with one of Larry’s prior work associates at Marathon Oil. The countryside was stunning—the Guinness not so much. The people were absolutely wonderful, with no experience of anti-American animosity anywhere we went. Larry and Pat are doing well and are a great addition to the Lexington contingent. Speaking of which, Jim and Pam Adams are also planning an upcoming trip to Ireland, Iceland, and the British Isles.

It seems that over the last couple of years, several of our BRs have visited the D-Day landing sites and the American Cemetery in Normandy, each finding connections in different ways. This summer, Jim and Nancy Neikirk visited the grave of Nancy’s father’s cousin, Charles Koestler, of Galveston, Texas. Koestler landed on Omaha Beach June 6 and was subsequently KIA near St. Lo July 12, 1944. Steve Price is pictured at the grave of Benjamin Kearfott ’43. Kearfott was one of the “Bedford Boys” of the 116th Regiment of the 29th Infantry Division of the Virginia National Guard. As Col. Keith Gibson ’77 recently wrote in a poignant article in the Alumni Review, Kearfott’s landing craft was at the very “tip of the spear” of the assault on Omaha Beach as the first,

or one of the first, to land on the beach. They paid a tremendous price in that not one of the soldiers on that landing craft was known to have survived. Kearfott is buried with Koestler in the American Cemetery overlooking the cliffs at Omaha Beach. Interestingly, John Bolt ’99 is the present deputy superintendent of the cemetery.

I had a nice talk with Jim Heely, who seems to be doing very well after some health issues. We were discussing high school classmates who were classmates at VMI, and Jim reminded me that the two high schools in Portsmouth each sent three people to VMI in our class. Churchland High sent Steve Otwell, Tom Loizzi, and Fred Banister Woodrow Wilson High sent Heely, Skull Turner, and Herb Whitley. All six went on to graduate ... on time. What a great record!

And not to be forgotten from Texas, Bill and Margaret Ginder are doing well and continue with their worldwide travels.

Slipping in right under the deadline for this submission to our notes is another announcement of achievement for the golfing prowess of ’71. Each year, the George C. Marshall Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America holds its Veteran Support Golf Tournament at the Lexington Golf & Country Club. Local members of ’71 support this event with sponsorship of a banner honoring Scott Pardee, “Bodie” Bodenheim, and Bob Petrolla. In addition, the team of Buddy Bryan, Jim Gearhart, Paul Bryan ’05, and Hal Hall (friend of Buddy Bryan) took home the team honors for the low net score in the men’s division this year. ’71 was certainly heard from on that day. In closing, I would like to remind everyone of our upcoming 55th Reunion this coming spring. As the “over 50” status, we have at last achieved the title of “Old Corps” members. This means that our reunion arrival is Sunday with festivities Monday and Tuesday, and departure is Wednesday. I hope we can have a good turnout. I have received the records of ’71’s financial contributions, and I would like to thank each of you who have contributed time or money to the Institute. I realize this has been a tumultuous time in many areas of our country, VMI, and our lives with some actions which have upset many of our BRs. I truly believe that at times such as these, when events occur with which we may not agree, it is best to return to the fundamentals that separate success from failure, hope from despair. I truly believe that if we stand true to the foundational ethos upon which VMI is built and governs its existence—those of the honor system, the brother rat spirit, and the concepts of you may be whatever you resolve

to be and never give up—will lead to VMI’s ongoing success despite the challenges it faces. As I have previously mentioned, when I see the sacrifices, help, and contributions from BRs to BRs and their significant others who are having problems in life and also their continuing contributions to the Institute even in difficult times, it finally becomes clear what the concept of the phrase engraved on the parapet, “A crowd of honorable youth pressing up the hill of science with noble emulation,” truly means.

Zeke

1972

Greetings, all—

These notes cover goings-on from mid-May to mid-August, a time of year usually given over to family vacations, travel, and keeping up while weathering the hottest summer in recent memory (and, according to the Weather Service, hotter than August 1968, which I find extremely difficult to believe).

First, some interesting financial news. VMI is the only public college on Forbes Magazine’s latest “List of America’s Top 50 Small Colleges” (those with 300-4,000 students, low student debt at graduation, low student-teacher ratio, and graduates who are leaders in their fields and possess Ph.D.s.—others include Wellesley, Pepperdine, Cal Tech, and W&L). Additionally, while UVA and VMI share the dubious distinction of being two of Virginia’s three most expensive public colleges and universities (William & Mary), they share the envious distinction of being the two most consistent providers of financial aid at the undergraduate level. Because of VMI’s generous aid packages (80% of the Corps receives some form of financial assistance), average debt at graduation is the lowest of all Virginia colleges and universities, public and private. And, to top it off, VMI graduates have the third-highest median 10year salaries of all Virginia colleges and universities (W&L No. 1, UVA No. 2).

So, how does this work when

VMI’s total living alumni population of 25,000 is less than George Mason University’s current undergrad enrollment? The answer is “overall percentage of donor giving,” not simply “individual donor dollar amount.” The national average of alumni donors hovers around 7-8%; VMI regularly averages 19-20% (with ’72 closing FY25 at 38%). This is why Forbes can report what it does, BRs, and why cadets such as Raymond Cmil ’26 are able to benefit from the VMI experience.

There’s news to share, even in this slower time of year. Sadly, the last quarter was hard on us. First, George Kosovic shared this: “J.R. and Cindy Bell joined Rhea and me on the drive to Blue Ash for Rick Bryan’s funeral service and related events

Aug. 11. The large turnout, as far as I could tell, represented every organization and institution Rick had served, from his active-duty days with the U.S. Army Medical Services Corps to his corporate careers, first with Procter & Gamble, Totes and Andrew Jergens/Kao, to the U.S. Army Reserve, the City of Blue Ash, the VFW post in Blue Ash, Cancer Support Community of Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, his church (St. Paul’s United Methodist), and more. Rick was both a citizen-soldier and servant-leader in the best traditions of VMI. J.R. and I were privileged to be among seven speakers whom Linda invited to share reflections and memories of Rick. Rick and I were roommates for most of our time in barracks, starting with Matriculation Day, and we maintained a close and active friendship throughout those 57 years. I will continue to treasure all our times together, and I believe J.R. would say the same. It was a tough farewell, but one made easier to bear being side by side with J.R.” The bonds, BRs ... Second, there was a large turnout for Denise Redmond’s celebration of life in Midlothian. Chip Woodall, Lee Hill, Doug and Mary Pritchard, and I joined a wide span of family, friends, and neighbors to share stories and memories. I got a particular chuckle from Ralph’s story of 6 pounds of meatballs mysteriously appearing after inviting a group of second lieutenant BRs to dinner at their apartment at Fort Bliss.

Jimmy Flynn shared some wrestling memories after learning of our support of Cadet Cmil. “I remember wrestling as a 115-pound rat in 1968–69 under Coach Gupton, with Jack Kennedy ’69 a bit lighter than Bobo (Biddle ’69), Tom Reynolds ’69 at 123, and the Smith brothers (Bil, Phil), and the rest of the brothers. Belonging to the team was such a big help to me through the Rat Line, with Ed Trinkle ’70 and Dick Schellhammer ’70—and roommates Bob MacMeccan and Ed Murphy.” Nice memories, BR.

Jim VanLandingham said, “Lindley Vaughan, Wayne Harrell, Chris Foster, and I won the overall golf tournament put on by the VMI Club of Richmond called the Irby Cup today at Stonehenge Country Club in Richmond. Class of 1972 shines once again! Also, as I am full of news, this past Friday, a group of ’72 BRs gathered at Billy Youell’s place in Tappahannock, Virginia, for a golf outing and lunch. Included were Billy, Chris Foster/Betsy, Butch Winstead/ Sandy, me/Winnie, Jimmy Doyle

along with Tip Palmer, and Coby Fitzhugh/Jan driving the beer cart! We had a blast and are already planning a rerun.” A fun time with all the young lions and their brides!

Charlie Crim shared priorities with which we all can identify. “I have finally retired, and Deb and I are enjoying time with Eliza Crim, our granddaughter. Hope all is well with you.” Life is good, BR.

And speaking of grandchildren, Fred Bauer said, “Our daughter, Christine (wife of VMI music director Lieutenant Colonel Matt Halligan), gave birth to their third child, Ava, Aug. 3. Our ‘lucky’ No. 7 granddaughter (11 grandsons).” I’ve lost count, BR ...

In an exchange with Sandy Edens regarding the state of my golf “prowess,” he said, “Ha! ‘War crime?’ Mine is not much better. In fact, I just started playing again after moving to Raleigh, as my brother-in-law (retired Army) is a huge golfer and wanted someone to play with, so I picked it up after 30 years. And yes, I plan on trying to get active in the Raleigh [Chapter] of the VMI Alumni Association and renew some friendships since we are back east. Honestly, I have read with interest some of the goings-on in Lexington, and I know things are not the same as they were 50 years ago, but I feel like I need to let all that stuff go and let the people who can make a difference deal with the ugly. You may remember I missed our 50th because of my daughter’s death, but I look forward to our 55th or any other gathering that ’72 may have. I need to get back at it. I’d love some contacts around here if you can pass them on. Diane and I completed our first full year in Raleigh after 40 years out west. Glad to be back in the area, but not glad to experience humidity again.” Again, welcome to the jungle, BR.

Tom Edwards wrote, “In the last 50 or so years, I have never provided input for the Alumni

Review, but today I might. Joyce, whom I met while a 2nd Class cadet on a blind double date with Skip Duncan, and I have been married for some 53 years and are currently living in the great state of North Carolina. It has recently come to my attention that I am related (through marriage) to two cadets who were in the Corps at the Battle of New Market. Specifically, those cadets are Richard Baylor Tunstall ’867 and John Liggat Tunstall ’867. I believe that those Tunstalls were cousins of some sort. Who knew?” Wow, and with Charlie Crim’s genealogy in the New Market area, our small assemblage has quite a connection to history.

Buzz Chacey sent pictures of their June family picnic. “We had great food, celebrated several birthdays, and had a chance to drive the old car that belonged to my mom. I was allowed to drive it to VMI when I was a senior. We spent 3 years rebuilding the car after it was stored for over 20 years.” He also said, he “participated in the Charleston Sprint Triathlon (swim 600 yards, bike 12 miles, and run a 5K) and won first place in my age group!” Looks like you might be our last man standing, BR—well done!

Jim Pagones shared news of their travels. “Joan and I had the opportunity to visit Ireland in early May. Here are two photos from our wonderful trip. The first was taken when we visited the Cliffs of Moher. The second was taken at a dinner theater designed to mimic a castle. Joan and I were crowned king and queen of Lister. Two other couples, similarly crowned king and queen of their respective realm, sat with us at a large table overlooking the dinner theater guests. We are unsure if this moment technically counts toward our 15 minutes (probably 15 seconds) of fame.” He also said, “I recently had right knee replacement surgery. It complements the left knee replacement surgery I had about 3 years ago. At this point, I believe it is appropriate to refer to myself as a ‘kneedy’ fellow.” Ouch (at the surgery ... and the humor), BR.

Dr. Geoff Bull reports from the home front. “I just took my wife home from the hospital. Open heart repair of tricuspid valve and replacement of mitral valve, and as a bonus, an ablation through the conduction track to get rid of A-fib, but she also needed a dual chamber pacemaker due to an episode of third-degree heart block with asystole. All is well, she is home safe and sound.” Cardiac surgery never fails to amaze me. You’re lucky to have access to the expertise and facilities, BR— good news!

And just this morning, I had a long chat with T.C. Hathaway. We shared a couple of Rick Bryan and Band Company memories. He filled me in

on news and views of their recent vacation in Iceland and said he’s ventured into “politics,” albeit at the entry level. He’s now president of the local girls’ ice hockey coordinating group after working with their granddaughter’s teams and organizations for the past several years. Both he and Myrna are passionate supporters of girls’ athletics in the Canton-Detroit area. Well done, Hathaways!

That’s a wrap for now, BRs—stay in touch, and as always, take care of you and yours. What we have is too valuable to do anything less.

RVM,

Larry

Mike Kelly

Class of 1973: Sandy McNamara with Joseph “Jack” Boze ’58 at Sandy’s home in Lynchburg, Virginia. Jack’s father sold the house Sandy grew up in and where he currently lives to Sandy’s father, Maurice McNamara, Class of 1928.

that will work out. Hopefully, a lot of you can get together this fall and enjoy the football games and BR gatherings.

There has been a lot going on with the class in the past few months. Congratulations to Scott Lingamfelter, who was recently appointed to the VMI Board of Visitors. Scott said he was enjoying life by “da riv’ah” and writing, and he and Shelly love playing with grandkids. As I mentioned in the May notes, Michael Burke and Ken Kalisky were appointed to the VMI Alumni Association Board of Directors effective July 1. The Class of ’73 continues to be well represented at the Institute.

Hello, Brother Rats,

As you read these notes, the summer will be gone, fall weather in full swing, and holidays and winter just over the horizon! I am finishing these notes in Nags Head with several BRs enjoying the remaining summer weather, relaxing around the pool, and telling “war stories.”

I hope you all had a great summer. It seems like the summer has flown by and was pretty hot in North Carolina. Pat and I have spent time with the grandkids attending baseball games and swim meets; of course, we had our big Fourth of July celebration at the ranch with lots of family and friends. This year’s activities were dampened somewhat, as we had a memorial service for my sister, who passed away in December, and a remembrance for Kathryn, wife of brother Jim ’71, who also passed away last December. We haven’t done much traveling except to the ranch in Pulaski County because of problems with my hip and severe pain and limitations on what I can do. I am currently scheduled for replacement surgery Sept. 3 and look forward to getting better soon! Larry and Debbie Mays are here at the beach with us, and I’m getting plenty of tips on how to get through the surgery, and Pat is getting a lot (maybe too much for me?) of instructions on how to make me behave following surgery. I also had cataract surgery in June and July for both eyes, and that has made a big difference.

We had hoped to get up to Maryland for the Navy game over Labor Day, but I’m just not sure I am up for it. I have a couple of trips planned to Lexington this fall and hope I can get there, although one is the week after surgery, so I just don’t know how

I heard from Ray Burton, who said he recently moved to Morehead City, North Carolina, and from Ralph Littreal, who moved from Southern California back to Southwest Virginia and Cripple Creek (near Pulaski), where he grew up. Welcome back east, Ralph. Ray also sent me some pictures of him as a flag bearer at the Scottish Highland Games in Western North Carolina.

Sandy McNamara had a “chance encounter” this spring when he answered a knock on his door and was greeted by Joseph “Jack” Boze Jr. ’58 Jack lives in Wimberley, Texas, and was attending a family reunion in Natural Bridge. He traveled through Lynchburg on his trip, and when cruising by Sandy’s house, he saw a VMI flag and stopped. As it turned out, Jack and his mother lived in the house for a couple of years while Jack’s dad was overseas. After the war, Jack’s father, Joseph M. Boze, sold the house to Sandy’s father, Maurice McNamara ’928. Sandy said they had a great time talking about parents and the history of the neighborhood.

In late May, Michael and Susan Smith also had a unique experience. They were on a trip with their church group to Scandinavia, including Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Oslo. When they were in Bergen, Norway, they met an American expatriate who had married a Norwegian woman he met while overseas in the military. Mike said the man entertained their tour group with tales about the VMI officers he had served with. The Institute was heard from that day! After coming home from their vacation, Mike said he had cataract surgery and then a knee replacement. He said he is doing well, but Susan says he needs a little more R&R! Michael also told me he had a nice note from Larry Edwards, who was one of his roommates for 3 years, and that Larry and Christine were, like many of us, working through some medical issues but doing well overall. They have finished some remodeling of their home and are enjoying retirement.

I have heard from several BRs who were

celebrating 50-year wedding anniversaries this summer, including John and Carol Leon, Charles and Susan Havasy, and Ed and Vickie Gibson Ed and Vickie were celebrating in Myrtle Beach in August and had planned to come and visit us at Nags Head but, at the last minute, were unable to do so. Congratulations to all of you!

Doug and Libby Payne were at the beach with our VMI group, and they have had an unusual summer in many ways. They live only a few miles from where the heavy flooding and devastation occurred in Texas and had some flooding in their town. On July 18, Doug had an accident on his bike and fell, hitting his head. Fortunately, he was wearing his helmet; however, he lost consciousness and was transferred to the trauma center in San Antonio with a concussion and brain bleed. After 10 days in the hospital, including 4 days in the ICU, he was able to go home. He is recovering; however, the doctors told him it would take months for a full recovery. They did have a bright spot in July and were able to celebrate Doug’s birthday and their “triple grandchildren’s” first birthday July 12. The party went well, and everyone had a great time. Wishing you the best, Doug!

Milt Salter and Gary Schick went on a D-Day trip in June, starting in London at Churchill’s “War Room” and boating across the English Channel to Normandy. They visited each of the beaches and then traveled up the Rhine River to the area where Gen. Patton’s Third Army crossed the river. Milt said they had a great trip, and it was the trip of a lifetime. Roland and Judie Tiso are the proud grandparents of another granddaughter. Their daughter, Allie, gave birth to Amara Sarafina Argintine July 29. Allie and her husband, Per, live in Pittsburgh. All are doing well. Roland is really proud and says she is the best-looking baby he has ever seen! Congratulations to you all. Roland is due to speak at the Marshall Library in September and is working on another book, “Soldiering in Hard Times,” which he hopes to get to the publisher this fall.

Rick Gribling said he and Rebekah were in Edinburgh, Scotland, visiting their daughter in

Class Notes

August. Their trip this year coincided with one of the largest art festivals in the world, the Festival Fringe, which highlights all types of arts from paintings to dance to shows and storytelling. I suggested that Rick not tell any tales about our VMI days! They were having a great time. That is one beautiful place.

As you know, George Tisdale is a renowned artist and has done several murals on buildings, as well as a lot of paintings. He is having a solo art exhibition Nov. 21 at the Art Works, Inc., 320 Hull Street, Richmond, VA 23224, in a show titled “Art of the Ordinary.” There will be an opening reception Nov. 28 from 6–8 p.m., and his paintings will remain on view until Jan. 17. I hope a lot of you can get by to see this exhibit. George has some really interesting artwork. Congratulations on your success, George!

Bob Bowman told me his mother passed away in March. So sorry for your loss, Bob. He also said he and his wife, Carolyn, had been busy

remodeling their home and then kept the grandkids for a few weeks before going on a trip with their daughter to the Mediterranean. He said they visited Barcelona, Gibraltar, France, Florence, and Rome, and had a great time. And in his spare time, he has managed to raise a large vegetable garden and stock up for the winter.

Don Reisch sent me a note to let me know he, Tom Napier, and Rich Lykins went to Lexington in August for a football reunion weekend. The highlight of their trip was having dinner with the coaches and this year’s team. They were very pleased and impressed with the group of young players on the team. Go, Big Red! All three guys live in the Richmond area, go to the same church, and get together frequently.

I had a note from Jim Harvey, who said he was doing well.

Tom Jennings told me he and his wife, Lois, had not been on vacation this year, as he had a little setback in his medical condition, but overall, they were doing really well. They are getting out a lot, and Lois is still enjoying playing golf.

M.B. Adelson says he is finally going to retire (taking bets?) and is trying to wind down his current workload and not take on any more clients. He could not make the beach trip this year as he had a couple of court cases that got scheduled the same week. M.B. said he is not mentoring any law students at this time and recently conducted a statewide continuing legal education class and has folks wanting him to continue writing, but he says his motivation is waning, and he is ready to retire. Good luck, M.B.

Danny Williamson told me that he was moving to Manhattan, Kansas. Their son, who is stationed at Fort Riley, and their five grandchildren live in the area, and they want to be closer to them. Danny said they were selling their place in Lexington and probably would not be returning, as they most likely would be moving with the family as much as they needed and as long as they were able. Col. Dan said his email and cell phone would not change. They plan to head out Sept. 8. Best wishes to you all, Dan, and don’t become a stranger!

As I am finishing up these notes, our week at the beach with BRs is coming to a close. This year’s group included Pat and me, Klaus and Laura Worrell, Doug and Beth Basham, Bill and Linda Spencer, Neil and Jenny Carlson, Larry and Debbie Mays, and Doug and Libby Payne We have had a great week; thanks to Klaus and Laura for making all the arrangements and for Klaus’ culinary skills in fixing breakfast each morning.

As you are reading these notes, we are looking at fall weather, Thanksgiving, and then Christmas, followed by a new year! I hope all of you have a safe and fantastic holiday season. I will remind you that as the year-end approaches, please consider supporting the Institute with a year-end donation. And don’t forget that our class has a scholarship fund that helps a cadet each year. All gifts are appreciated, whether it is $73 or $1,973!

Take care, BRs, and be safe out there.

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. Let me start these notes with a proud parent moment. May 1, 2025, marks the arrival of Cecilia Marie Morrissett, Mike and Clay Morrissett’s first grandchild. Mike would have been so proud. Turns out, Clay’s hip surgery was conducted April 30 ... almost a drive-by surgery, as Clay was able to be at the hospital for the delivery of her granddaughter the next day.

A second proud grampa moment— at 10:32 p.m. Friday, July 25, was the arrival of our granddaughter, Margaret Wayland Smith, 6 pounds, 4 ounces. Her brother, Teddy (aka King George IV), now 2, as of May 29, was there to welcome “Margaret the great.” Olivia and George (and Marla) could not be happier. All are home and doing well!

On June 2, Gene Williams’ COW golf tournament in Richmond, Virginia, had a number of BRs participating: Hall Brodie, Mel Clark, Donnie Ross, John Pate, Gene Williams, Craig “Snapper”

Class Notes

Carlock, Rod Beard, J.W. Simms, Roland Lazenby, Terrell Williams, and Marvin Watts I’m not sure how many winners could be counted in that motley crew, but I’m quite sure they had a really good time playing and dominated the 19th hole gathering.

Also, in June, Arnie and Maria Leonard traveled to Fredericksburg to see our class thespian, Wilson Johnson, in his most recent role as Bob Ewell, the bigoted, redneck father of the girl in “To Kill a Mockingbird.” I think “break a leg” is a traditional saying in the theater world ... meaning “good luck.” Break a leg—I’m sure there is a good story explaining that idiom. Here’s to Wilson—breaking both legs!

I do see David (and Susan) Sheppard regularly throughout the summer, either on the tennis courts or at some local Wilson Arts event. David continues to serve on several boards locally, as well as being an active member of the local ukulele group. It is not hard rock, but it is entertaining!

On June 12, Marla and I traveled to Old Post Chapel in Arlington National Cemetery, where Retired Col. George Van Laethem was laid to rest with full military honors with a reception to follow in the Fort Myer Officer’s Club. Attendees: 12 BRs, four wives plus Anna [and Marianne Boylan (Coleman)]: Jim Cottrell, Bill Minor, Tom Puskas, Bill Shumate, Mike Andriani, Mike Coleman, Chip and Cathy Beaman, Paul and Rose Van Doren, Mike and Mary Pat Hogan, John McLaren, Charley Banning, Snookie and Marla Parker, and Anna Van Laethem.

Marla and I took a stroll down memory lane while in Old Town Alexandria. We stayed at Heron Hotel across the street from our old religious sanctuary, Washington St. United Methodist Church. We dined at one of our favorite haunts—

Le Refuge, a quaint, authentic French restaurant in Old Town. We noted significant changes in and around Old Town; however, not much had changed in a significant way with regard to Le Refuge and our neighborhood next to Mount Vernon Hospital.

Sad news to report—Chuck Ward’s wife, Louise, passed away June 9, 2025. Brain cancer. They had been married 51 years (May 25, 1974). Services were held at the First Baptist Church in Charlottesville, Virginia. Keep Chuck and family in your prayers.

June 21 saw Don and Susan Ferrell hosting a bourbon and BBQ soiree for some neighbors and a handful of BRs on their 80-plus-acre home in Gladstone, Virginia, some 20 minutes outside of Appomattox. This is the piece of property Don acquired years ago and was raising Berkshire hogs on for high-end markets. Don also had a variety of things like cattle (two to three), rescue horses (two to three), sheep, chickens, and peacocks ... Don has gradually expanded the property and was developing it for retirement living for close to 10 years. The place has two ponds and is way out in the country, and they like it that way. Don and Susan outdid themselves hosting this gathering. Tuscan ribs, jerk chicken, whole hog slow-roasted BBQ on this magic grilling contraption (La Caja China pig roaster with directions emblazed on one end of the roasting box), and all the fixings. Neighbors from all around showed up, as well as a few BRs ... lots of front porch sitting and some brown adult beverage sipping. Class of ’74 attendees: Snookie and Marla Parker, Bob “Turtle” and Susan Frank, Dimitri Pavlou, Fred and Karen Parks, Andy Eason, Chuck Cayton, and Pat Flynn. Pat and Chuck drove in, Fred and Karen stayed in the pond house, and the rest of the BRs stayed at the Babcock House Bed & Breakfast in Appomattox. A hearty thanks to Don and Susan. To say the least, a good time was had by all.

Marla and I attended the Raleigh area rat send-off July 12. A nice group of VMI family, friends, and alums gathered at the Carolina Mudcat Stadium to send three soon-to-be rats to the infamous VMI Rat Line. Rick Hening ’75 organized the gathering and provided all with a hearty helping of burgers, dogs, and all the fixings. BR Kent Wheeless was on hand to lend his support to the prospective rats. Kent and Brenda are doing well. Coach Kent keeps his hand in the local middle/high school girls’ volleyball world. Several of his players have moved on to play in the high

school state championship games this year—sometimes on opposing teams, a tribute to a coach who preaches fundamentals. Kudos, Coach Wheeless!

Heard about the mini reunion in The Villages, Florida, Thursday, June 26? Steve and Anne Ham had just moved from the Tidewater area to The Villages. Alan and Kathy Vicory, John and Lenora Hunter, and Ted and Susan Telle arranged a welcome dinner at Harvest Restaurant for Steve and Ann. I understand there is a large contingent of VMI alums who have moved to The Villages. Ted proudly noted that VMI ’74 is the largest VMI class in The Villages!

In late July, I had an on-site work commitment to a client in Bridgewater, Virginia. On the way up to Virginia, I thought I would stop in Lexington to visit the Institute and have lunch with local BRs. I met Red Undercoffer and Russ Harlow on post at the PX. I really enjoyed the visit. Craig “Snapper” Carlock could not make lunch. Missed seeing Gene Williams by a week. Wanted to check in on Rich Forbes’ grandson (offensive tackle—6 feet, 5 inches, 295 pounds), who was attending the VMI football summer camp, but could not connect—short on time. Did some front porch sitting with Pat Flynn at his Hops Hill abode before heading off to

Bridgewater, Virginia, for client work and an opportunity to visit T.J. and Kerri Wilson T.J., Kerri, and I had a nice dinner at a relatively new restaurant within walking distance from the Wilsons’ abode. T.J. and I had an entertaining and informative visit to New Market. It had been over 50 years since I had walked those grounds. The museum is “top shelf” and the 45-minute historic film offered was well worth the time. If you have not been to visit lately, and find yourself in the area, I highly recommend a visit. Later that evening, we dined in … on some Thai cuisine and explored the idea of organizing an unofficial VMI Class of 1974 river cruise (Saone River, Provence, France) during the last weeks of September 2026, with a possible follow-on class trip to the Canadian Rockies in the future after that trip. More to follow!

I got a note from Lane Toomey, who was in his fifth week of retirement. He finally pulled the plug and retired from XVIII Airborne Corps and federal service. Said he was looking forward to some travel and maybe getting back into writing. Karin is adjusting! Touché. Lane and John White had lunch at their favorite Thai restaurant not far from USASOC HQ, where John continues to provide meteorological expertise. John’s daughter, Maggie, is now a lieutenant colonel in the Air Force. A proud papa, no doubt! Lane has been in touch with Phil Parker, who put Lane in touch with his young relative, who is now an engineer first lieutenant in the 82nd Airborne Division. Lane noted that he and Karin are planning a trip to the Outer Banks in the fall (Karin has never been there) and hopes to spend some time with Phil while there. In addition, Lane had called Russ Takata to (1) make sure he and Cheryl were OK after the tsunami warning in Hawaii (all OK!) and (2) to see if they could link up in Camp Perry, Ohio, in late August. Lane learned that Russ was stateside visiting his children and participating in a number of pistol competitions. Russ is still active in competitive shooting, hence his annual trip to Camp Perry. Unfortunately, Russ will compete in a shooting match in Washington state during the period of time in late August when

Karin and Lane will be in Ohio. Russ and Cheryl could not make the reunion last year, leading to John McLaren picking up his bottle of bourbon. Lane told Russ that when he schedules a trip to get his bourbon from John to let him know, and perhaps they could hook up then. Lane did assess his retirement so far—the adjustment was going well for both Lane and Karin.

I received a nice photo from Tom Parker along with an explanation. The photo: Tom and his son, Jake, in early May 2025 at the Army and Navy Club in D.C. It was the rehearsal dinner, and Jake was married the next day. Jake is a professional staffer for a senator on the hill and a Navy lieutenant in the reserve. Tom said Jake had a provisional appointment to the Class of 2008 but could not get in. Tom had planned to wear his uniform to commission Jake 3 years ago in Newport, but they got snowed out. Jake’s fiancée suggested getting into uniform for the rehearsal dinner, and that’s what they did. Tom mentioned that he last wore this uniform in 2006 and was surprised that it still fit! Imagine that! According to Tom, “T’was a great wedding; newlyweds are doing wonderfully well and hoping for a bouncing baby sometime soon.” Tom says wife Ann seems to have beaten cancer last year ... keeping fingers crossed. Again, according to Tom, “I seem to be in pretty good shape for an old fat guy! Living the dream!” Thanks for the note and the pic, Tom!

On the way to the Atlanta Braves versus the Cincinnati Reds ballgame in Bristol, Tennessee, at the NASCAR Bristol Motor Speedway, I was passing through Charlotte, North Carolina, so I planned to meet Tommy Anderson and Johnny “J.B.” Morton at the QC Pour House in downtown Charlotte. There was a torrential downpour this Friday night

(was perhaps an omen for the baseball game the following evening). Tommy was able to make it, but J.B. was already committed. We got soaked running from our parked cars to the Pour House, but the beer was cold, the food was tasty, and the good cheer was even better. Tommy and Molly have recently relocated from Richmond to Charlotte to be close to their grandson. They are looking to purchase a home close by but have realized that it may be a real challenge given where they want to live and the current housing market. Hope they will find something soon. The rain had subsided by the time we called it an evening. We left as happy campers. By the way, 91,000-plus fans piled into the stadium for the game in Bristol Saturday. Tim McGraw, Jake Owen, and Pitbull provided the pre-game concert—was an unannounced bonus. F-18s were in formation in a flyover for the national anthem. After a 2-hour rain delay, Johnny Bench and Chipper Jones threw out the first pitch. They played one inning. Torrential rains—there was water standing in the infield and outfield. They called it a night and played the game the next day at 1 p.m. The Braves won 4-2. Most of the crowd did not return for the game Sunday, and I was one of that group. However, it was a really unique venue for Major League Baseball, and I was there, rain-soaked but there. That is all for this set of class notes.

Like I am quick to say every chance I get—we, as BRs, are getting longer in the tooth, so I encourage you to travel while you still can ... and can enjoy the adventure. And by chance, if you have an opportunity to contact and/or visit a brother rat, by all means, take it! It may be your last chance— you never know! That is all for now!

Class contacts: Snookie at snookieparker1974@ earthlink.net and Charley Banning at cbanning@ cox.net. Send me a note. Yada, yada, yada, and yaba daba dooooo!

In the Bonds, Snookie

Thomas Mason

Brothers, Sisters, and Innocent Bystanders, With mild curiosity, I peeked into this sector of Outlook email called “bulk spam.” The promises of much magical health and better living are almost poetic in grand hope, scope, miracle, and expectation. If desired, for one’s physical

well-being, there are offers of cures for swollen legs, body contouring, laser and lipo treatments, foot pain remedies, neuropathy relief, hearing aids, life-line screening, ED treatments, memory loss help, miracle sheets for better sleep, and night-vision glasses for seniors. In addition, there are credit offers, pest control remedies, gutter protection systems, home warranty plans, cool gizmos and gadgets, lawn care tips, annuity offers, and hot, hot, hot don’t miss them vacation offers. Finally, this riff wouldn’t be complete without recognition of those pesky entrepreneurs from Nigeria and Kazakhstan just needing a little help getting my banking information for a joint account foothold set up stateside!

Our news track this quarter covers your adventures from mid-May through mid-August ... and we’re off!

Early May sent seven of our finest to Missoula, Montana, for several days of trout fishing in float dories with guides on the Blackfoot River system. Charlie and Sharon (Haga) Hoon hosted Stew and Mary Ann Fleming, Jim and Susan Hobbs, John and Lori Prior, and Bob and Sue Frisbie Others there were Mike Garten, Lowrie Tucker, and John Plunkett, who traveled lean and solo. While the balance of the group fished, Mike G. spent his time hunting for gemstones. There were plenty of brand spanking new L.L.Bean fishing kits on display, still creased from the packing bags in expectation of first-time use. John Plunkett provided the excellent photo of this group. John added that he and Michelle will bring out their motorcycle and ride up to Sturgis, South Dakota, for the annual bike week Aug. 1–10. Your scribe will press for additional tales of that trip!

The Keydet Club Leadership Outing June 6 found classmates Robert Mills, Oliver Way, Allen Morgan, Art Nunn, Glenn Furr, Billy Hunter, Mike Hunter, Ben Vanderberry, and me eagerly smiting the golf ball at Lexington Golf & Country Club, then enjoying a lovely evening of dining and socializing on the outside porches of Moody Hall.

On July 6, six who have not lost their pioneer spirit flew to Anchorage, Alaska, for the start of a 2-week adventure. Art and Judy Nunn, Ben and Anne Vanderberry, and Oliver and Bonnie Way spent the first few days near Anchorage, where they explored the local area, bused, and took a scenic rail excursion deep into the pristine wilderness of Denali National Park, staying in lodges in the park over a couple of nights. Ben remarked that with 20 hours of daylight, the brief power outage at the lodge was only a minor inconvenience. The group hiked and observed rich rainforest, scenic vistas, and wildlife unlike what is seen in this

part of the country. After Denali, they motored to Seward, Alaska, to meet their cruise ship, which would be home and hearth for the next week. The ship made several stops, including at Juneau, Haines, Sitka, and Klawok. The Ways and Nunns took a helicopter tour of several glaciers and alit on one glacier where numerous sled dog teams were training. Oliver and Art both tried a hand at mushing and drove their sleds and teams for a mile or so without taking a tumble. The Vanderberrys took a separate helicopter tour, and all remarked at how happy these special dogs are when running with a sled behind them. The group thoroughly enjoyed the ship, taking in several shows and fantastic food before their arrival in Vancouver, British Columbia. Another nice photo c/o the group.

Keith and Melanie Frey celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a trip to Hawaii with their daughter, her husband, and two grandchildren in tow.

Charlie Collins remarked on his enjoyment of the reunion weekend and regret at not being able to talk to more classmates—a sentiment I, too, have heard more than once. Chaz has started planning and training for another through-hike for next year. His aim is to take on the Lake Tahoe Rim Trail, a 175mile trek with elevations of over 10,000 feet in spots. He believes this will be a little easier than the Appalachian Trail undertaking.

Glenn Garland or others, are you interested in joining Mr. Collins?

Dave “Sweets” Jensen reports that all’s well in Charlottesville. Dave expressed his dismay at having missed the reunion due to illness; he did not want to take a chance on passing the nasty bug to his BRs.

Rich and Beth Mines checked in post-reunion with the news that Rich had rotator cuff surgery on his left shoulder—damaged when he was hit while running by a distracted (on cell phone) driver.

This will be old news when seen: John Maples, Jay Newcomer, and Dan Schultz will be seen in Charleston, South Carolina, Nov. 1, 2025, when we play The Citadel in football. There should be a fairly large contingent of classmates present at that game again this year!

Rick Law sent news of the recurrence of a health concern for Pariolee. She is undergoing treatment, and they hope to see everyone in Charleston in November at The Citadel game weekend.

John Whitworth’s dispatch included his Connecticut summer with much time spent with his two youngest grandsons’ roof repair and never-ending yard care and his plumbing project at the Florida house repairing the irrigation system. John is one of many of you who have asked after Paul Bernard’s well-being since the reunion.

Paul Bernard seems to be physically doing a little better after having a stent inserted into his stomach in May and an upgrade replacement installed in early August. Always in good spirits, Paul tries to go into his office once a week to consult on engineering projects for the town of Warrenton. He and son Chris also try to work together on the car kit project (Shelby MK-4 Roadster), but I may need to be fact-checked on that) they began some months ago.

Harley Myler sent a short note from Wilmington, North Carolina, commenting on the blast furnace of the summer’s heat wave, the pending hurricane season, and how much he enjoys mowing his grass with his new zero-turn riding mower (complete with a bagging option!)—an old man’s gocart thrill!

Ellett and Fran Smith participated in a June pilgrimage to Poland and Lithuania. Now, that sentence begs for context, background, color, commentary, and specifics, which were requested but abandoned without response.

Dave “Salvo” Lape’s daughter and her husband are avid skydiving hobbyists. They motor from their home in Colorado to Moab, Utah, nearly every weekend from March through November, enjoying membership with Sky Dive Moab. Dave’s last parachute jump was 50 years ago at Airborne School at Fort Benning, Georgia, soon after we graduated. In July, Dave and Karen went with their family to Moab and did a tandem jump from 13,000 feet, enjoying the extraordinary scenery and recording with his hand-held camera. The altitude of the jump allowed him to maneuver the canopy for a few moments and enjoy the thrill of a lifetime shared in the company of family!

Jim and Nancy McCriskin submitted a nice photo with an explanation of having hosted Glenn and Carol Furr in Southport, North Carolina, for the Furrs’ 50th wedding anniversary.

Greg Stultz submitted his “all right” status from Stowe, Ohio.

No moss grows under the feet of Mrs. Thomas S. (Judy) Baur, as life for her is approached as go, go, go! A late July trip to Park City, Utah, with friends for a week of ziplining, riding E-bikes, swimming, and spa relaxation. A routine meandering walk became an adventure when a wrong turn on a long hike returned her group to an incorrect car park. So, in a throwback to the 1970s, the two ladies threw out their thumbs and hitchhiked down the road to the desired parking location. Judy will complete the summer with a family beach vacation to Cape Charles, Virginia, with son Dan, his wife, Katie, and new grandbaby, Teddy, returning before classes begin at VMI.

In the really important news department: Vic Arthur may be our first BR to visit the recently opened little convenience travel plaza called Bucee’s, in Mount Crawford (Harrisonburg), Virginia. Vic will make this road trip before he returns to his position as a special needs student teaching assistant in Winchester and Frederick County. Vic has also been a starter/ranger at the Rock Harbor Golf Course and hopes to improve his game to crush it like the other big hitters among our class. Guy and Mary Conte spent the summer in their home outside Seattle, away from the oppressive heat in Scottsdale, Arizona. He will host Bernie Cobb and Jerry DeWaters in Washington for 7 days of golf on seven different courses in early September. Guy looks forward to seeing a whole bunch of us in Charleston in late October over The Citadel game weekend!

Bernie Cobb spent 2 weeks in May traveling in Europe with a friend. Included was a Viking River Cruise from Amsterdam to Basel, Switzerland, with stops in Kinderdijk (Netherlands); Cologne, Koblenz, Speyer, and Brisach, Germany;

then, Colmar and Strasbourg, France. The journey concluded in the Stuttgart area with a visit to the medieval city of Rothenberg ob der Tauber (built in 1272). Abundant sampling of beer, wine, wienerschnitzel, and spaetzle was prominently mentioned.

From the Pacific Northwest, Tad MacGowan checked in with a lengthy memo (which went to many family and friends) introducing his wife, Dawn, whom he married in April, 1 week prior to our reunion. That trip east allowed Dawn to get gently acquainted with VMI; Washington, D.C.; and Williamsburg/Jamestown and to experience Tad’s roots. Back now in Oregon, both newlyweds are looking for paid, part-time work that will keep them off the mean streets of suburban Portland.

It’s been gratifying to learn of so many of you traveling. Directly after our April reunion, Rick and Stella Davison toured historic sites in Pennsylvania and enjoyed some of the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright (of which there are seven such

structures in Pennsylvania). Following this journey, they visited Alaska (no details offered), and subsequently, they spent a month at the Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico, where they teach short geology lessons to the visiting scouts and their leaders (since 2009). Rick’s August memo had them currently cruising along the west coast of Norway, seeing historic sites and learning much about the Norwegian resistance during World War II, while between Stavanger and the Northwest Cape, then around to Edinburgh, Scotland, and additional (unnamed) stops. Sursild (pickled herring), lutefisk, and haggis were enjoyed by all ...

The VMI Charlotte Chapter hosted its annual rat send-off social at the upscale Olde Mecklenburg Brewery in early August. John and Brenda Young attended, arriving just before a torrential downpour. Twenty or so alumni had a good but somewhat awkward time, as no incoming freshmen showed up. Brenda and John picked, prepared, and cooked up 44 jars of pear preserves, variously flavored with Grand Marnier Tennessee honey whiskey or Jameson Orange Irish Whiskey, to present as Christmas gifts in December. John will have surgery in September to have a very impressive bone spur removed from his right foot. Life is “all right” in upstate South Carolina!

In July, Dan and Sandy Brooks spent 3 weeks in Italy and Denmark. Their archaeobotanist daughter is a member of the current, ongoing dig in Pompeii. Mom and dad got a special behindthe-scenes peek at a recently unearthed ancient latrine (rich treasure for an archeobotanist, this). Dan has never seen so many scientists excited about volcanically preserved waste. He tried to compartmentalize this detail when ordering from the dinner menu. In early August, Dan attended the Southeast Pennsylvania rat send-off event. There, he saw Bill Terpeluk, Mark Skuby, Frank Hillson, and Jon Mounts ’74.

A warm greeting from Randy Frank informed of the pleasure he is getting from the companionship of English Setter, Dillon, a rescue who astonished everyone by winning a Gordon Setter obedience trial in June. Soon after, Randy welcomed a second rescue, called Buck, a charming, threelegged setter from Wisconsin. Buck lost his front left leg to severe frostbite when he strayed from home as an 11-month-old. The two pups have bonded splendidly, and both have been great jogging companions when Randy runs. Randy expects to enjoy seeing many of us again in Charleston at the VMI/The Citadel weekend.

Glenn Garland has donned his advertising cap in search of an appropriate marketing slogan for the Len Reidel travel and touring society.

Post-reunion, Jerry DeWaters let me know that

he is making it his mission to connect with the mysterious, low-profile Harry Barksdale, a mere 100 miles away in Western Massachusetts.

John Amatetti, quit working so darned hard and check in occasionally! I’ll quit chirping now.

As I record the close of this column on yet another humid August day, I hope for a colorful, temperate Virginia fall welcoming you to these pages in happy and contented greeting in November.

Humbly and devotedly, I remain, Never above you, never below you, always beside you ...

Your Friend, BR, and Dedicated Swiss Army Knife,

Thomas A. Mason

1976

William Bhatta

study class. It’s better than being the oldest guy in the Class of ’76 prayer meetings.”

The past two summers, I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Greg and/ or Lyn Hedley at the Three Chopt Recreation Club in Richmond, Virginia. We’ve been there cheering on our grandchildren at local swim meets. Greg and Lyn live in Virginia Beach and are proud grandparents of 13 grandchildren, ranging from just 2 months to 13 years old. That might be a brother rat total grandchildren record! With most of their grandchildren living in the Richmond area, Greg and Lyn are frequent visitors to the area.

Hail to the Class of ’76 nation, the greatest class in barracks! I am writing these notes Aug. 12, 2025.

I just got back from a relaxing week at the beach in Topsail, North Carolina. One afternoon, Michelle and I had the pleasure of meeting up with Alan and Gini Pyke for lunch in Surf City. They have a home nearby in North Topsail and shared fascinating stories about the loggerhead turtles that return to the area each year to lay their eggs. It was a great visit!

Jack and Charlotte Christy are enjoying the Northwest. They recently traveled to Newport, Oregon, for a week’s vacation. Along the way, for all of you ice cream lovers out there, they enjoyed a stop at the Tillamook Creamery. Other than that, Jack said, “We’re mostly hanging around here in Anacortes taking walks in the Anacortes Community Forest lands, about 20 miles of hiking trails inside the city limits of Anacortes.”

Mark and Bernadette Sculley are enjoying the heat and lack of humidity in Utah. Mark said, “No precipitation this summer, but hoping it all comes as snow for skiing this winter. Sons Christian and Daniel are still in the nest as pseudo-5-year men. Or six or seven.” Mark and Bernadette continue to dedicate much of their time to church. Mark said, “[He] likes being the youngest guy in his Bible

Greg and Julie Speaker have now been in Candler, North Carolina, for just over a year. They are still tackling small fixes around the house. The place was an Airbnb for 10 years before they bought it, so longterm maintenance wasn’t a priority. They started by putting on a new roof. Greg said, “It is a big log cabin halfway up a mountainside about 10 miles from Asheville. I contract out the big stuff. Just had a 14 kW generator installed to cover the occasional power outages, like the 5-day one during the last big hurricane! And, of course, no power here means no water.” In May, they spent 10 days in Costa Rica for their son, Jeffrey’s, destination wedding. Greg said, “It was a beautiful celebration, and Costa Rica is truly a fantastic place to visit.”

Ron and Pille LaGrone bought a small house in the country on her home island of Saaremaa (an Estonian island in the Baltic Sea). Ron said, “It is furnished simply. Having fewer possessions is turning out to be a good thing. Our neighbors are great people. Pille is in the process of moving her work center of gravity here, which means returning to Tallinn now and then as needed. It’s summer here, and we bike often to the nearby small beach for a swim in the Baltic Sea. The people of Estonia have come a long way since the wall came down. Those of us who fought the Cold War would do well to reflect on what we helped accomplish. You can see it here every day. I was expecting 50 years of peace in the region. We didn’t get that, but we gave those who suffered under the USSR a chance at a better life. Let’s hope they can keep it.” Ron and Pille have made plans to attend the 50th next year and look forward to seeing everyone.

Jim and Nancy Puckette welcomed their second grandchild June 28 for their youngest daughter, Annalise. She now has two lively boys; the oldest

is 2-and-a-half years old. Jim is still going strong with Tupperware after more than 40 years. He said, “Just can’t seem to be able to get away from it.” This year also marked the beginning of his “bionic” journey, starting with a left hip replacement in March, followed by a right knee replacement in July. “The knee was more painful than the hip,” Jim admitted, “but I’d recommend it to anyone with knee pain. I’m at 4 weeks now and can do most things. Still doing PT three times a week.” Nancy deserves a round of applause for her nursing skills. Jim credits her with getting him through the tough first weeks after knee surgery. As is tradition, Jim and Nancy will head south for Christmas, stopping in Lynchburg to visit Jim’s parents, then continue to the Boca Raton-Fort Lauderdale, Florida, area. They’ll spend 3 weeks staying in an Airbnb before returning to work in January.

Here is a great update from Dave Lowe: “This year’s been a bit of a blur—in the best possible way. What began as a lifelong love of endurance racing has shifted into something much bigger: A full-throttle mission to build a community here in the U.S. that honors the legends of Le Mans and connects fans with the soul of the sport. Turns out, if you hang around long enough, someone eventually hands you the keys. No grandkids on the horizon—my son’s only 13, so I’ve got a few more laps before I start answering to grandpa. In the meantime, I’ve somehow welcomed a few hundred new members to a racing club I never meant to start but couldn’t be prouder to lead. We’ve had events, road trips, watch parties, and plenty of moments where the past met the present at 180 mph. And through it all, I’ve been reminded that life’s not about slowing down—it’s about finding new gears. [I am] still shifting.”

Bill Ryals updated me on his hip injury in February: Bill said, “It’s a yearlong recovery process. [Bill and Kathy] are planning to do the D.C. Bike Ride Sept. 6 with a goal for Bill to be able to run a mile by Christmas.”

Ares and Lisa Koumis welcomed their newest grandson, Beckett Augustine, July 19 at 4:35 p.m. That makes three grandchildren under the age of 3, two girls

and now one boy, all living within 10 minutes of them. Koumis said, “Needless to say, Nana and ‘Cow-pa’ (that’s me) are exhausted but pleased.”

In July, Kavie and Debbie Thrift returned from a wonderful 24-day adventure through Seattle, Washington; Victoria, British Columbia; and Alaska. Right about now, they are enjoying the beach during a 2-week stay in Nags Head, North Carolina.

This summer, Dave and Barb Bass continued their globetrotting adventures via cruising to Iceland and Greenland. Dave said a highlight was “an afternoon stop at an Icelandic geyser hot spring lagoon for a relaxing soak.” They ended their trip by celebrating Dave’s birthday Aug. 6 in New York City. Dave and Barb are looking forward to seeing everyone in Lexington for the 50th next April!

Steven Joyce reported he was safe from the

Texas Hill Country Guadalupe River floods in July. He completed an Alaskan cruise last June and plans to vacation at a resort in the Dominican Republic in September—hopefully, he will dodge any hurricanes.

Ken and Sue Harbin are off on an adventure with their family, even as I write this! They’re cruising through Iceland, Norway, Amsterdam, and Belgium, soaking in the sights. Ken shared, “Looking forward to seeing some of Europe that we never got to see when I was in the Marines.”

Both Ken and Sue are in great health and love every moment they have with their three grandkids.

In July, Jim and Trish Dittrich visited Germany, where Tish caught COVID-19 3 days into the trip. Jim said, “On the plus side, the Edelweiss resort in Garmisch is worth a stay.” Right now, they are headed to Montana to spend time with their two sons and Jim’s brother.

Jim and Susan Mallon just spent 5 days babysitting Max, their first 3-and-a-half-month-old grandson! Jim yawned then added, “We had a wonderful time with him and were made to remember what it was like and how to change diapers, feed, and bathe a baby. Needless to say, we’ll be catching up on our sleep in the next few days.”

Andy and Julie Stewart’s daughter graduated earlier this summer to become a nurse practitioner and then followed that up by delivering their first grandchild, a beautiful 9-pound baby boy. The Stewarts are enjoying retirement in Pensacola, Florida, and are looking forward to the reunion next year.

In August, Hunt and Penny Ozmer welcomed a special visit from their daughter, son-in-law, and two grandsons. The family, recently stationed in South Korea, is now on their way to Germany. Hunt shared that grandson Brylan will be attending Florida Technical College this fall to pursue a career as an electrician. But the biggest headline? Hunt and Penny are now great-grandparents! Their family has grown with the arrival of a beautiful baby girl named Blakely, who, according to Hunt, “will get plenty of attention.” Could this be another record, brother rat first great-great-grandpa?

Are you ready for some 50th

Reunion news? It’s just around the corner: April 24–25, 2026. It is hard to believe 50 years have passed since we first marched across the Parade Ground as cadets. This milestone is more than a celebration; it’s a tribute to the enduring bonds we forged, the values we upheld, and the legacy we continue to build together.

Reunion registration is expected to open in early January 2026, so stay tuned for details. In the meantime, here’s a glimpse of what’s planned.

Thursday, April 23 (for early arrivals): Morning events include sightseeing opportunities—Evan Haberman is preparing a list of local attractions, and there will be a golf tournament hosted by Dexter Gilliam and Dyke Davies at Ashley Plantation Country Club (north of Roanoke). In the evening, there will be a catered supper and fellowship at the home of Grigg and Cindy Mullen

Friday, April 24: Events include carriage rides through downtown Lexington, a Chessie Trail hike followed by lunch at Devils Backbone Brewery, a historic walking tour of Lexington led by Evan Haberman followed by lunch at Devils Backbone Brewery, a clay shooting event hosted by Grigg Mullen in the local area, and two consecutive McKethan Park socials. Late afternoon: Wine tasting with local wineries. Evening: Informal class gathering and catered supper.

Saturday, April 25: Morning events on post are a state of VMI presentation by the VMI administration, the class photo at Preston Library, and the reunion parade and Old Yells in barracks. Lunch on post will be shared with the Class of 1979. Afternoon activities include carriage rides through downtown Lexington, a guided post tour, and a Corps of Cadets panel interview session. The 50th Reunion honored class supper will be held Saturday evening at Marshall Hall Center for Leadership and Ethics. It will be hosted by the VMI Alumni Association. The guest speaker will be Jim Dittrich

Sunday, April 26: The class memorial service to honor our lost BRs will be led by Razz Waff at Memorial Hall. Following the service, there will be a farewell brunch at Crozet Hall.

I hope each of these reunion moments rekindles old friendships and maybe even helps you build new ones.

Finally, as the year draws to a close, I want to take a moment to thank each of you for the connections you’ve shared. May this Thanksgiving bring peace and gratitude to your homes. May December’s holidays fill your hearts with joy and togetherness. And may the new year greet you with renewed hope, good health, and meaningful purpose!

1977

Steve Kelly

Greetings, Super ’77!

It is late July/early August as I write these notes. Summer is blazing hot here in Central North Carolina, but hopefully the temperatures will cool off before you read this. It’s been a busy summer for Mauri and me. I completed two call-outs as a disaster relief chaplain for North Carolina Baptists on mission recently—one in late May/early June to Westernport, Maryland, and one in mid-July to Durham, North Carolina, after Tropical Storm Chantal. It was truly a blessing working with folks impacted by these storms. Mauri and I spent the Fourth of July in Pulaski, Virginia, at the old homeplace. Our family held a memorial service for my sister, Judy Tewksbury, who passed away from cancer in December 2024. We also remembered Katherine, wife of my brother, Jim Kelly ’71, who also passed away in December 2024. Shortly after that, we were blessed to have two grandkids for a week and actually had a day where all three of my wife’s grandkids were together with us. We spent a lot of time at Belews Lake swimming, boating, and fishing to tire our grandkids out. Needless to say, we were exhausted after they left.

In other news, I want to remind everyone of the 2025 mini reunion and Class of ’77 Memorial Golf Tournament Sept. 5–6 in Lexington (weekend after Labor Day). The golf tournament will be played at The Cascades near Hot Springs Friday, Sept. 5, as the Lexington course is still undergoing renovations. If you want to play golf Friday, please contact Tommy Cole at TCole77@aol. com. Brother Rat Kerry Mullen and crew are renting a B&B in Lexington with a pool and will be inviting brother rats and guests over Thursday (if you get in early) and Friday nights for a cookout and pool party. Saturday will begin with the tailgate, featuring some new foods this year, then the football game against Ferrum College, and buffet at Devils Backbone Saturday night. More information and costs will be in your email soon. It is important to sign up for these events, especially the tailgate and Devils Backbone, which is space-limited to 40 folks.

The class wants to extend condolences to Glenda Snyder and family on the loss of her husband and our Brother Rat Tim Snyder, who passed away April 23. The Class of ’77 was well represented at Tim’s celebration of life service May 10

in Buchanan, Virginia. Jerry Haste delivered a very heartwarming remembrance of Tim, and his roommate, Mike Davis, wrote a great After Taps to remember our brother rat and friend that appears in this issue of the Alumni Review. Please keep Tim’s wife, Glenda, and the family in prayer in the weeks and months ahead.

Turning to brother rat news, Tom and Linda Orrell sent a picture of their grandkids getting on a plane to return home after a visit with them in Northern Virginia.

Joe Molina, Oscar “Chip” Davis, and Chris Perry attended a weekend Bible study and prayer retreat at Richmond Hill Spiritual Retreat Center in Richmond, Virginia, April 5. Bill Anderson participated in the Tennessee Senior Olympics State Finals in June in Franklin, Tennessee, where he won the silver medal in both the 50- and 100-meter sprints in the 70-74 age group. Bill says it was the VMI 1977 shirt he was wearing that gave him the edge over the other runners. Tim Thompson, aka “Sensei,” continues to do great things with his karate summer camps and is doing some amazing things with his students. I expect to have Kerry Mullin’s information about the Class of ’77 Goshen summer camps soon. Should be interesting, although I expect most of it will be redacted. In other news, VMI is looking for about 15 brother rats from our class to participate in the Career Networking Forum Sept. 27. The class had a good turnout last year, and we hope to have even more participate this year. Also, our Pass in Review Class of ’27 has its Ring Figure scheduled the Friday before Thanksgiving furlough. The class will be looking for a few representatives to attend the events surrounding the Ring Figure. More information on sign-ups will be forthcoming on both of these activities.

What’s going on with our 50th Reunion? Preliminary planning is happening now with the Giving, Event Planning, and Communication Committees. Bland Massie is heading up the Giving Committee, Rich Howell is heading up the Event Planning Committee, and Mike Davis is heading up the Communications Committee. Most of the detailed planning/calling will occur closer to April

2026, a year out from our official reunion date in April 2027. There will be many opportunities to serve as we plan our 50th, so please be receptive to helping if you get the call. Also, start clearing your calendars for April 2027; I hope to have the official date soon! It would really be great if all of our physically able brother rats can attend this once-ina-lifetime event.

The next set of class notes is due in November. I look forward to updated news and pictures from brother rats. If you are reading this and are not receiving emails from me, please take the time to send me your updated email—even if you have done it recently. The information will be helpful to get information to the class. I appreciate your efforts to get me class notes and pictures in a timely

fashion. Looking forward to seeing my brother rats soon! Stay safe out there!

Tick

1978

Tom Brown

Greetings and Salutations, Brother Rats and Friends of the Class,

It has been a rather active summer, and there is a lot of news from around the class to pass along so, let’s get to it.

Jay Hutt: “All good in LYH; we have survived a brutally hot summer and look forward to cooler temps soon. Our home is full of chatter, a baby’s laughter and cries, and three barking dogs. Our grandson, J.P., 5 months old at this writing, commands the center of attention in all his waking moments. He’s a happy baby, sleeps through the night since 3 months, and absolutely lights up wiggling and giggling whenever any of us walk into the room! We are very blessed to have our son John’s family living with us during their transition from North Carolina back to Virginia; they plan to buy a home in Lynchburg soon, so they and Sarah, who is already here, will be close by for the coming years. We never imagined having our adult children living near us, but we thank God for this wonderful blessing.

“The last days of July were full of special ’78 events for me. On Saturday, the 27th, I was blessed to attend Jim Mecredy ’52’s memorial service in Augusta, Georgia, alongside his sons, our BR Dave and Dave’s brothers, Tim ’80 and Ron ’82 Jim’s legacy as a Christian husband and father, outdoorsman, and VMI alumnus was very well spoken, and it is clear that Dave did not fall far from that tree. Beside me in the same pew were Ken Blythe, Ron Dolan, and Bill and Nancy Robertson, so ’78 was well represented. Afterward, Bill and Nancy had to leave, and Dave had family obligations,

but Kenny, Ron, and I spent the evening hours just kicked back and catching up; all around, a fine visit. And a shout out to Steve and Diana Thompson for providing overnight accommodations in their home to Kenny and me, even though, unfortunately, they were out of town. And certified: We did not take Steve’s Ford Shelby for a ride, but it was oh so tempting!

“On Tuesday following, I connected with John Whitmer and family, spending an afternoon together on dad’s boat on the Potomac River, and my dad was able to visit with John for the first time in several decades. John’s daughter-in-law, Lucy, is a Lynchburg girl we have known since she and our sons were together in high school, and seeing her and her husband, Ben, and John’s 3-year-old granddaughter, Margie, was also a highlight. The Whitmer clan is well and thriving in their new digs in Powhatan and beyond.

“To end the week, Sunday, Mark and Ann Ashby McKissick, Bland ‘Scooter’ Massie ’77, and I surprised Paul Mitchell at Grace Episcopal Church in Massie’s Mill a little north of Lynchburg, where, following their regular worship service, Paul made a terrific presentation about Captain and later Reverend Frank Stringfellow, who served the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia’s Generals R.E. Lee and Jeb Stuart as a scout and spy for 4 years, followed by a 40year career as an Episcopalian minister, with many congregations in Virginia and beyond. Paul gave his talk in first-person dialogue and really did a wonderful job—highly entertaining and quite interesting. Massie’s Mill is Scooter’s ancestral home, and to wrap up the day, he treated me to a driving tour of the stunningly beautiful family farm and property now owned by several cousins.

“Dad’s house in Franklin recently sold in just 2 weeks, and he will move to the retirement village there around Labor Day. So after lots of hours of touching up paint and way too many trips up and down the attic stairs, we are close to having the house cleared and cleaned for the next owners. The end of an era, certainly, but we look forward to Dad at 95 years old being in a safer and easier living environment. Until

we meet again, all the best, and our Lord’s blessings to each of you and yours.”

Greg Gearhart: “All right. Will be attending a mini reunion at Tanner’s.”

Rick Wolffe: “Glad to report here from Summit, New Jersey, that we had a successful rat send-off; the number of rats from New Jersey are picking up again post-COVID. We had five rats attend, and a total of nine are scheduled to matriculate this Saturday. I have a new VMI hobby researching and writing profiles of VMI alumni who we honor at our Memorial Day ceremony, commemorating New Market cadets KIA and all other VMI alums killed in wars going back to the Mexican-American War. If any BRs would like to be on my distribution list, they can shoot me their email.”

Bill Robertson: “‘All right’ in Midlothian. Still having fun working as a lead mobile market volunteer for Shalom Farms in Richmond again this year.”

Rick Wetherill: “All right, staying cool!”

Bob Jenvey: “All right here. Still in Alaska with Mike Moore and his wife. Headed home on Monday.”

Mark Lowe: “All right here! Best regards to all!”

Mark Seely: “All right in San Francisco. My news is about my recent golf trip to St. Andrews. I was selected with a good buddy of mine in the lottery for the Old Course. So, off we went in July and played 11 consecutive days of golf in mostly glorious weather. It was a wonderful trip. I can’t wait to go again!”

Pete Manoso: “All OK in Newport News, Virginia. Our daughter surprised us on Father’s Day with news that she is expecting her second child, a boy, in November 2025. He will be our fourth grandchild and first grandson. I was privileged to attend the 50th Reunion of the Class of 1975, our dykes’ class, in May 2025. Our 50th is right around the corner. I hope to see you there.”

Alec Earle: “All is well with Sheila and me. We are currently enjoying a vacation on Maui! I’m happy to report that July 1, I began another 4-year term on the VMI Foundation Board of Trustees. I’m looking forward to being involved

with the Foundation and returning to the ‘I’ a few times a year.”

Nelson Curtis: “Running to formation with big toot playing in my memory. All right from Williamsburg, Virginia. Hope all are well.”

Mark Lambert: “All right in St. Charles, Illinois. Denise and I are doing well, and my kids are all doing well. My grandson, first grandchild, is now 16 months old! He does have a provisional appointment 2046 ready if needed! We are headed to Germany in September to visit Denise’s grandfather’s ancestral home and take in Oktoberfest! I actually have lederhosen to wear, so I can fit right in! I made it back to the football reunion the first weekend in August to help the Keydets kick off the new season. Here is a picture of me, Don Robey, and Mike Freeman; always great to see and spend time with my brother rats. We may get a chance to get back to a football game this season to cheer on the Keydets!”

Chris Stone: “Checking in all right from Richmond. Been retired for a year now but still involved in the Virginia General Assembly. Made trips recently to Spain, Germany, Luxembourg, Amsterdam, and Belgium with my grandkids. My daughter is in the Air Force, and they just left their duty station in Spangdahlem, Germany, for their next duty station in Aviano, Italy. Needless to say, I am now brushing up on my Italian. Mangia!”

Rob Traver: “Finally stepping down as director of our Water Resilience Center. Not retiring yet—going half-time, still teaching and water research. Nice not working on weekends and in the evening! Trying to get back into golf. Broke my wrist a while back but seems to be working again. By our next reunion, I should join all you fully retired folks!”

Paul Campbell: “Heading to San Antonio, Texas, for a quick trip Aug. 13–18 to see my niece graduate from Air Force Basic Training.”

Kevin Callanan: “‘All right’ or ‘all OK’ as the paratroopers say, from Stephens City. Looks like retirement is knocking at the door but trying to stay busy with board service and the occasional lawn mowing.”

Brion Smith: “All right in Keswick, Virginia. Judy and I did not do much traveling this summer. We were the ‘Central Virginia crossroads hotel’ for our kids and grandkids, as everyone seemed to change jobs this year, have medical appointments at UVA, or need a place to stay as they moved their households. Hope to see folks in Lexington this fall.”

Steve Craig: “Carolyn and I enjoyed our Mediterranean cruise tremendously with stops in Valencia, Tunis, Malta, Cephalonia, Messina,

and Naples. We will be off to a chili cookoff in Medora, North Dakota, next Friday. I will attempt to hold my title!”

Leland Horn: “All right here!”

Charlie Alphin: “Another year older, all right on the farm at Buchanan!”

Vagel Keller: “All right! Camping season is in full swing, but Debbie and I aren’t venturing too far this year. Home improvements and prepping for a month in Palermo, Sicily, and environs come November.”

Anthony Moore: “I’m still kicking. In July, I had a drop-in from Dave Montgomery and Ron Carter. My roomies drove down from Baltimore to attend an event in Richmond. Both are well and still tall.”

Jack Barnhill: “All, OK from Naples, Florida. It’s hot, hot, hot here. Looking forward to fall.”

Bob Longwell: “All good. Loving life in Florida; well, maybe I should wait till hurricane season is over. Stay safe, brother rats!”

Mark McKissick: “All right. Been retired for over 1-and-a-half years. Can’t get anything done now. Not enough time. Been seeing Jim Simon, Bob Eagle, Don Robey, Keith Barber, Stu Gitchell, Charlie Alphin, and Snare Wolfe on a fairly regular basis. Room 161 reunion is scheduled in mid-October at Tom Tanner’s with Greg Gearhart, Dave Lucado, and Allen Moore.”

John Lach: “All right!”

Jim Mackin: “We’re ‘all right’ here in OBX. Regina and I attended the PGA Championship Tournament in May and enjoyed watching all the top golfers. I recently caught up with Tim Berkhimer for some pier fishing—caught some sunshine and a few throw-backers. Looking forward to joining Tony and Monica Pileggi on a Nile cruise in November!”

Terry Dorn: “All quiet here, thankfully. We’ve been visiting grandkids and are looking forward to fall and cooler weather. Beth and I have done a

couple of bike rides with Rex Wiggins this summer. He’s doing well and is still in great shape.”

John Tucker: “All right in Columbus, Ohio.”

Mike Moore: “Checking in from Midlothian, Virginia. Just returned from a 2-week trip to Alaska with Bob Jenvey. Happy to report our first granddaughter in January.”

Jerry Placzek: “Checking in from Perrysburg, Ohio. Loving life, my grandsons, and retirement.”

Dave Gray: “Nothing major going on here, just progressing through my cataract surgeries. One down, and one more to go.”

David Thacker: “All right in Charlottesville.”

Mikey McCarthy: “All right! As many of you know, I made the decision to ‘retire’ again and return to El Paso. I was able to deliver a persistent 10-year strategic plan to the supe prior to his and my departure June 30. It was an honor to be able to give something back to VMI that will serve them well into the future.”

Dave Mecredy: “I have been doing a lot of traveling since April when I attended the Class of ’75 reunion service along with Jay Hutt, Bill Robertson, Pete Manoso, Ron Dolan, and Kenny Blythe. In May, I was off to Birmingham, Alabama, where I met up with brothers Tim ’80 and Ron ’82 to attend a memorial service for my cousin’s husband. At the end of July, the family gathered again in Augusta, Georgia, to attend the memorial service for my father, Jim Mecredy ’52, who passed away last December. Once again, I was blessed to see Jay Hutt, Bill and Nancy Robertson, Ron and Linda Dolan, and Kenny Blythe at the service. The rest of the summer has been busy with yard work and band practice with the Upper Room Band. I carry guitar, banjo, and vocals, and my wife, Susan, carries fiddle and backing vocals. We’ve had two performances in the past week, with another coming up in October.”

Joe Cafarella: “All is well here in O-H-I-O.

Watching my five grandsons grow to be impressive young boys. We are taking our first Viking River Cruise in September along the Danube from Bucharest to Budapest. Going through Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia, and Hungary. Looking forward to the trip. Hoping the war in Ukraine doesn’t expand to other Soviet bloc countries in the region.”

Ron Dolan: “All right and still standing. House in Tennessee complete except for landscaping. Looking forward to seeing BRs at various activities this fall and upcoming retreat. Welcomed our ninth grandchild, Arabella. Enjoying recent travels to the Azores and other faraway destinations. Will head to Minnesota for my 70th to fish at our lake home with friends and family. God’s

blessings and wishing all is well, BRs.”

Bob Fricke: “All’s well in Colorado. Nancy and I became first-time grandparents in February. My son, Bobby ’19, and wife, Abby, had a daughter, Scottie Elizabeth Fricke. Two weeks after Scottie’s birth, Bobby deployed for approximately 8 months sea duty. Nancy and I have been traveling back and forth to San Diego, along with other family members, to help out until Bobby is back from deployment.”

Paul Mitchell: “I attended the VMI football reunion during the weekend of Aug. 2 and enjoyed socializing with Mr. and Mrs. Glen Jones, Mr. and Mrs. Robey, and Mark Lambert, QB. Speaking of football, Ned Stepanovich and I became good friends over Facebook this year. He retired to Holly Ridge, about 30 miles north of Wilmington, North Carolina, where my dear daughter, Bonnie, works. I told Ned that the next time I came down, we’d try to get together while my daughters were off doing their own thing. We did get together Saturday, Aug. 9, at The Reel Cafe. Thanks to Jay Hutt for informing me that Tony Pileggi lived in the area and giving me Tony’s cell number; Tony was able to join us. We enjoyed a great conversation for 2 hours, and many of you guys were featured in our stories. We invited Tom Replogle, who resides in Beaufort, North Carolina, but he was in Chicago visiting his son. We will rendezvous again and hopefully will be able to include Tom.”

That is the latest from around the class. Keep in touch and remember to send along your news and pics for the next set of notes.

In the Spirit, Tom/EZ Bear

until his last breath and the many days that followed. I can never repay the class for the kindness and support shown to my family. You all will be forever in my heart. Fondly, Corinne Doerr.” We continue to keep Corinne and family in our thoughts and prayers and look forward to having Corinne continue to be a part of our class.

I am writing these notes a few days ahead of matriculation and right after the many rat send-offs held across the country. The significance of these events is they mark the beginning of our participation as a class in the new VMI-VMI Alumni Association Pass in Review program. This program pairs a 50th Reunion class with the class graduating the year of their 50th Reunion. Starting at matriculation and continuing throughout their cadetship, this program creates mutually beneficial relationships from which current cadets receive critical advice and mentorship, while members of the 50-year class have an opportunity to assist in the development of future military and civilian leaders. Bill Hamlin and Anthony Pais have agreed to be our class representatives for this program. Their initial efforts yielded over 60 BRs signing up to support and participate in this program. They also arranged to have BRs attend 20 rat send-offs held in July and early August to introduce the program and our class to the entering rats and their parents!

During the weekend of the tournament, Tom was inducted into the Virginia Cardinals’ Rugby Hall of Fame. Joining Tom in playing for the Cardinals at the tournament was Mike Witter ’78, who Tom has teamed up with in men’s club rugby and the Cardinals for the past 45 years!

Ed Buck sent in that his youngest son, John, is getting married at the end of September. Ed also wrote that he looks forward to staying in touch with the BRs he was able to reconnect with at our reunion last year, as well as connecting with BRs who were not at the reunion, especially those who were in Delta Company.

Bob Sievert wrote, “Biggest news for Angela and me is that as of July 31, I have really, really retired! This is my third try, so hoping it will 1979

Tom Trumps checked in, writing that he recently competed in the Can-Am Rugby Tournament held at Saranac Lake, New York, July 25–27. This is one of the largest rugby tournaments in the world, and Tom’s participation in this tournament was to celebrate his 55th year of playing rugby! For the tournament, he played for the Virginia Cardinals’ over-60 team, a team he has played for since joining their over-50 team.

Hello, BRs!

I trust these class notes find you and your family well.

To begin, I want to share with you the note to the class that I received from Corinne Doerr: “On behalf of the Doug Doerr family, I want to extend a sincere thank you to the Class of 1979 for all the cards, notes, memorial gifts, and visits during the sudden loss of Doug. I appreciate the outpouring of support from people during Doug’s final days in the hospital, to the cheer in the church parking lot during the funeral. Doug’s roommates and close friends from the ‘Mother I’ were with me

stick this time! Angela and I have plenty of travel planned with our motor home, starting this month heading into the mountains here in Colorado. As we get more into this retirement thing, we are hoping to make our way to Virginia in the coming months to visit family and, of course, go by the ‘I’ to see how it is holding up. Will have more to share next time about our comings and goings with hopes that we’ll get to run into brother rats along the way!”

Reporting in from the 2025 VMI football reunion, Al Soltis wrote: “The Class of ’79 led the way at the 2025 VMI football reunion held Aug.1–3, 2025. Eleven former ’79 football players returned, which was more than any other class at the reunion. It was a great time reminiscing about old times on the field and in barracks. It was a special time when all former players were able to have lunch with the current players who play the same position as the alumni did. One thing is for sure: They are a lot bigger today than we were!” In addition to Al Soltis, ’79 attendees were Bob Bookmiller, Nick Collins, Ray Duffett, Ed Negro, Greg Weaver, Jeff McLean, Randy Atkins, Mac Curtis, Dale Ogg, and Doc Bates.

It was good to hear from Greg “Weav” Weaver Weav wrote he attended a VMI Promaji Club meeting in July in Richmond, Virginia, where he was able to get together with Tim Bridges and Malcolm Grimes. Other attendees included Sean Lanier ’94, Ronnie Norman ’75, Jennifer Carroll Foy ’03, Major General Wins ’85, Dave Montgomery ’78, Ron Carter ’78, and Glen Jones ’78

John Kailey checked in to report he is now basically retired, though he is working at a horse farm and on the Coast Guard Auxiliary. John also reported that their grandson has turned 1 year old and is now walking and wreaking havoc! John further wrote that he was also able to spend some time recently with Al Soltis. Having returned from a 10day cruise to Italy and Greece

this summer, Frank Jester reported that he and his wife, Becky, had a great time. Traveling with a group of seven girls that Becky had gone to high school with, Frank joined a group of five tagalong husbands for a wonderful trip. Frank wrote he is ready to go back for even a longer

trip! Looking ahead, Frank reported that they have two weddings coming up. His daughter is getting married in October 2025, and his son is getting married in May 2026. That is good news for me as class agent, as I look forward to relying upon Frank’s newly refreshed party planning skills for our planning for our 50th Reunion! Keith Ranker wrote that his recent eye surgery went well, which greatly improved his vision. An added benefit from this surgery was that his vertigo is gone! With his 43rd wedding anniversary approaching, Keith wrote that his wife “has to be totally awesome to put up with my quirks!”

Reporting in from Norfolk, John Colonna wrote, “In June, Teresa and I attended our Lee High School 50th reunion in Springfield, Virginia. We had a great time catching up with old friends. Bruce Reinard, my only high school classmate who is also a BR, was unable to attend. I am hoping he will make it to our ’79 50th Reunion. I’m enjoying my semi-retirement. My oldest son, John III, and his wife, Morgan, are expecting their second child in February. That will be our ninth grandchild. If it’s a boy, there will be a John IV.”

Ray Whitner checked in, reporting that he has fully retired as of Aug. 1. For the last 5-and-a-half years, Ray worked as the assistant regional engineer for the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Public Water Supply Section in the Charlotte area. Previously, he worked 40 years for the Virginia Department of Health Office of Drinking Water. Ray and his wife, Debbie, had moved to the Charlotte area to be near their three children and three grandchildren. For retirement, Ray wrote that his new responsibilities include assisting in babysitting their 4-year-old grandson and driving their freshman granddaughter to high school. Ray also wrote that he had enjoyed lunch with Andy Neff, Harlan Niehaus, Steve Lyon, and Dennis Staples at the VMI alumni Charlotte Chapter quarterly meeting in July. Jim Harrington wrote that he

is moving into semi-retirement, limiting his work responsibilities to only a few remaining projects while focusing on his fishing and hunting. Having purchased a boat from Richard Meredith ’78 last summer, Martin Welsh ’78 drove it around from Norfolk to Jim’s house in Virginia Beach.

Reporting in from South Carolina, Bill Albro sent that he and his wife, Barbara, are enjoying attending concerts and other area activities with Reggie and Linda Sadler. At the time of Bill’s submission of his notes, he and Barbara and Reggie and Linda were heading to have dinner with Mike and Kathy Oden, who were down for a week of vacation.

Bill Bersson checked in and reported that he had met up with Wilton Holmes and Randy Young in Falls Church, Virginia, to attend their 50th high school reunion. Glad to hear that they are getting in some good practice in advance of our upcoming 50th!

Jim Elliott reported in that he was able to get together with Meade Spotts, Eric Nost, and Mory Wood for a two-for-the-price-of-one burger night. Jim wrote: “You can tell that we are getting old and cheap as there is no way any of us would consider paying full price for anything, much less a cheeseburger, these days!” Jim further wrote that it was fun catching up with everyone!

Jim had also spent some time with Brad Jones fishing on the Chesapeake Bay. Jim reported, “Somehow, I was able to land one small rockfish while Brad slammed three nice redfish! Some things never change. Not only did Brad catch them, but he filleted and sent them home with me, too! Of course, I had to endure a bunch of his somewhat good-natured razzing about my fishing skills, but that’s OK. My freezer is a bit fuller, and we had a good time!”

Eric Schwarz reported in after he and Becky spent a month in Alaska. They joined their daughter and son-in-law, who is VMI Class of ’07, and their family on a northbound Princess Cruise. Afterward, Eric and Becky visited four national parks for a week. They then continued to visit their son, who is in the U.S. Coast Guard, and his family on Kodiak Island. Of note, they were there for their first tsunami warning, but fortunately, nothing hit Kodiak. Finally, they took another cruise southbound. During this cruise, they saw all the fabulous sights, flora, and fauna, which included every typical Alaskan land, air, and sea animal. In addition, they hiked everywhere they went, putting in many miles of hiking.

In an “it could only happen to us” moment, Eric reported that at their airplane gate in Seattle for their connection back to Washington, D.C., they were spotted by Phil and Carmella Southers

Class Notes

as they were searching for a quick bite between flights. Phil and Carmella were also on their way home from an Alaskan Viking cruise and on the same plane as Eric and Becky. Due to a 2-hour flight delay, they were able to catch up and share travel experiences.

Having celebrated their 44th anniversary in early August, Eric reported their near-term travel plans include a week at Atlantic Beach, North Carolina, and then a month cruising the Mediterranean and a transatlantic ocean crossing. Eric wrote, “We are keeping up our pace of ocean and river cruises while we are in great health.”

Eric also shared that “thanks to an invite from Charlie Sachs, I intend to support the Cadet–Alumni Career Networking event in late September. I feel it is my duty to tell today’s history and other liberal arts majors that there is hope for them outside of law and teaching.”

After visiting multiple western states over the past several years, Karen and Asa Page are planning to relocate from the warm waterfront of Virginia Beach to the Rocky Mountains of Colorado next year after Asa finally retires. They spent a wonderful time visiting Parke and Debra Smith and Malcolm and Gwendolyn Grimes last November and are pretty much sold on settling in the small mountain town of Silverthorne, Colorado. Although Asa has many fond memories during our rat year as a member of the VMI ski club, he is hoping this time around not to hit the slopes in an olive drab Army field jacket, waterlogged rabbit fur gloves, and soaking wet blue jeans!

It was great to hear from John Blake. In addition to catching up, it was good to hear of John’s continuing work on the Henry Johnson Award.

I had dinner with Jeff Minnix in July while he was in the Richmond area for a golf tournament. It was great catching up with him and learning of his and Linda’s preparations for their upcoming trip to Italy. Looking forward to getting some great pictures of their trip!

While I am still collecting the results and feedback from our initial program mobilization and the rat send-offs, Bill Hamlin, Anthony Pais, and I want to thank all of those responding for their interest and support of our participation as a class in the Pass in Review program, including Jose Gomez, Grey Farthing, Jim Leavitt, Dave Jeter, Randy Atkins, Dave Crawford, Nick Collins, Charlie Sachs, Steve Lyon, Pete Alvarez, Tom Baltzar, Mac Curtis, John Poffenbarger, Curtis McCabe, Rich McGruder, Randy Hawkins, Eric Schwarz, Jay Higginbotham, Bruce Pearson, Jeb Burton, Rick Wingfield, Parke Smith, Wilt Holmes, Jeff McLean, Pete Underwood, Jeff Minnix, Jim Harrington, Randy Young, Frank

Jester, Mark Byrd, Larry Adams, J.R. Pigg, Dan Kornacki, John Kailey, Nick Rantis, Ed Buck, Tom Trumps, Phil Southers, Tom Manley, Sal Vitiello, Steve Scaglione, Glenn Higgins, Greg Weaver, Bill Albro, Reggie Sadler, Rick Hall, Jay Gede, Larry Betz, Jay Airis, Ray Duffett, Mike Ogden, Bill Bersson, Rodney DeCorte, Nic Kepf, Hank Chase, Dave Sholler, Bill McCarthy, Tom White, Eric Schwarz, Rich McDonough, Brian Tollie, John Colonna, Al Soltis, and Ed Johnson. We are especially appreciative of those BRs who were able to attend their rat send-offs.

As we look toward our 50th Reunion, we will be defining activities along our “road to the 50th.” The objective is to provide regular opportunities for BR engagement leading up to our 50th Reunion.

One example is the recently initiated Pass in Review program and its six touchpoints with our paired Class of 2026+3: Matriculation in August 2025, Breakout in January–February 2026, Ring Figure in November 2027, 1st Class BBQ in fall 2028, our 50th Reunion in April 2029, and commencement in May 2029. Another example is having DRC with our ’76 dykes April 25, 2026, the Saturday of their 50th Reunion weekend. Be on the lookout for future opportunities!

I want to thank everyone for your continuing support. As I close these class notes, if there is a BR you have thought about reconnecting with but have not yet done so, take the time to reach out and reconnect today!

RVM!

1980

John

Gibney Jr.

Hello, Brother Rats!

These notes cover the period May 16–Aug. 15, 2025. As you read, our 45th Reunion will have occurred. Next stop, our 50th Reunion!

The period began with a call with Dr. Ed Baker and with subsequent calls and text messages with Ed discussing the NHL playoffs and his Carolina Hurricanes, who had advanced through two rounds. Ed and Dianna live in the Outer Banks. Dr. Baker fully retired July 1. His first retirement activity was watching July 4 fireworks on the beach at the Outer Banks with his daughter, granddaughter, and son. Ed and Dianna will not

be attending our reunion due to an earlier scheduled vacation.

I participated in a Zoom call with Tom Bersson, Pat Griffin, and Rob Robinson. As you read, our reunion has come and gone. Hopefully, it went well. In a subsequent call, Pat was in Lexington as a member of Kappa Alpha for their annual induction ceremony. John Alerding was an inductee.

Paul Burkholder, Dave Hagemann, Dennis Jacobs, and Hal Snyder share a May birthday. Belatedly, I sent each an email. Paul plans to attend the reunion and will be staying in his camper, plugged in at Rob Robinson’s farm. Dave retired at the end of March and has reserved a room for our reunion. Hal plans to attend the reunion.

I sent Mike Kelly an email on his birthday. Mike lives and practices law in Boise, Idaho. He will not be attending the reunion, as he will be returning from Ireland and has other conflicting travel plans. He is in contact with Tom “Gunny” Kelly, who also lives in Boise. Their plans to meet for lunch were postponed due to Tom injuring his leg in a skiing accident. Mike did see Bill and Sue Schademan when they passed through Idaho on a road trip. Mike and Bill were VMI roommates. Sadly, Mike also wrote that his wife passed away. Mike is winding down and plans to retire in the next 2 years.

I exchanged several text messages with John Casamassa on his birthday. John lives in Florida but will not be able to attend our reunion. He sent a photo of his daughter, Mary, who was boxing in Madison Square Garden in July. He also asked to be connected to Walt Kreitler. I made the connection via email to Walt, who also wrote that he was in Southeast Asia and will be attending the reunion. John also asked for a connection to Matt Pfeiffer. My attempts to reach Matt were unsuccessful.

I exchanged text messages with Chal Glenn on his birthday with copies to Doug Conyers, Mark McLean, Jody Morgan, and Allen Ramer. All are doing well. I exchanged several text messages and email messages with Anne Alerding, John Alerding’s wife, regarding a retirement gathering Anne is arranging June 7. Patti and I plan to attend—see below. I also exchanged email messages with Paul Keel on his birthday. Paul and Angela are still living and working in Hawaii and are doing well. Paul is unsure about attending our 45th due to travel plans. Mike Harper replied to a birthday email message that he remains twice retired—from the Air Force and from Microsoft. Due to travel plans that he and Joy have, he is unsure about attending the reunion.

Rob Quarles called. We discussed attending the 2026 NCAA lacrosse championships in

Class Notes

Charlottesville, as well as the planned gathering for John Alerding’s retirement, including golf (see below). Rob and Elizabeth are unable to attend due to a prior engagement.

I exchanged email messages with Doug Reddington on his birthday. Doug wrote that all is good except his golf game, which is a work in progress. Doug will retire in September but will not attend our reunion due to attendance at a wedding. In August, Doug will be riding from London to Edinburgh, then back to London, a trip that must be completed in 128 hours. See below for more details. I did gloat over the Knicks beating the Celtics in the NBA playoffs.

I exchanged email messages, then spoke with Dwight Pearson on his birthday. Dwight is retired and lives in the Pittsburgh area. He is training for a visit to Utah to participate in a cycling event with Joe Paustenbaugh. Dwight will be attending the reunion and staying with Rob Robinson

June began with an email from Tom (Gunny) Kelly containing the Class of 1980 Foundation newsletter. Patti and I traveled to Lexington and attended the retirement gathering at John Alerding’s house. We also got in two rounds of golf with Tim Hodges and had dinner with Tim and John in Lexington. Our BRs in attendance were Frank and Wanda Hilton, Tim Hodges, Jay and Trudy Melvin, Dan and Cindy Sweeney, Rob Robinson and Krystal, and Bob White. Thank you, Anne, and congrats, John. Jay and Trudy noted that they are planning a trip to NYC in December, and I had a call with Jay to provide some insight. One of our golf rounds was in Bedford, Virginia, and I spoke with Ed Bower in an effort to connect, as he has built a house in Bedford. Ed was unavailable due to a family reunion. I also exchanged text messages with Dennis Hackemeyer, who lives in Forest, Virginia. He was unavailable due to the flu and plans to attend the reunion. Patti and I also played a round of golf with Tim Hodges and Rob Quarles in Roanoke.

Scott Sayre replied to a text message sent on his birthday that he and Mary will be attending the reunion and staying in the Natural Bridge Hotel. John Hughes sent a text after receiving his birthday card. Due to health issues, John is unable to travel to our reunion and sends his regards.

Rich Zott sent an email to check in. Rich is still doing consulting work on criminal cases and is also the deputy chief of a small river town police department in Missouri. He now has three grandchildren and has registered for the reunion. Thanks, Rich, for checking in several times regarding my hernia surgery.

John Caplice sent a photo taken at the Lexington Golf & Country Club, where he played in the

Keydet Club Leadership Outing with John Blankenship and Allen Ramer. John also sent an email asking if anyone is considering attending the VMI football game at Navy. I am out due to a family gathering. Dusty Boyd will be on vacation that weekend. Bud Zirkle will be in Maine. Jay Melvin has a prior commitment. Allen Ramer is a definite maybe. Hugh Fain has a prior commitment, as does Gene Scott. Jeff Washington cannot attend, but John Blankenship can.

Jerry Koehler sent an email requesting a schedule of events for our reunion. His information on the VMI database is outdated, so I forwarded the link. He has not attended a reunion but may be able to attend this year.

Joe Paustenbaugh replied to a birthday email message that he is looking forward to attending our reunion. In keeping with tradition, Robby Jones snail-mailed half of his VMI birthday card, noting that he could not attend John Alerding’s gathering due to 3-year-old granddaughter Emma’s birthday party. Robby is looking forward to seeing everyone in October.

I exchanged email messages with Bill Kyle on his birthday. Bill is still working, with 3 more years until retirement. He sent a photo taken after golfing with John Runyon. Bill and Debby are registered for the reunion, as is John.

At the end of June, I had hernia surgery, so no golf for almost 2 months. Thanks to Dusty Boyd, John Caplice, Tom Gelles, and Rob Robinson for their get-well wishes. Tom Kelly sent the June edition of the Class of 1980 Foundation newsletter. I spoke with Tom Gelles. He may not attend our reunion, as his trip to Dublin for the Steelers game is the prior weekend.

Robby Wheeler called. He lives in the Dallas area and flies for Flexjet. Robby had surgery to remove cancer in his mouth. We spoke in August, following 11-and-a-half hours of surgery and 10 days in ICU. He is recovering and is expected to fully recover and return to flying in 2026. He will not be attending the reunion.

John Diggs sent an email with six attached photos. John is retired from UPS, and he and Beth live in the foothills of North Carolina. They have one grandson and have been traveling to their bucket list destinations. They traveled to Antarctica and to Arctic Svalbard on Nat Geo Expeditions. They have hotel reservations for the reunion and hope to make it but are not positive.

I called Elliott Wolffe on his birthday, and we eventually spoke. Elliott and Amy live in New Jersey but also have a house on Cape Cod, where they spend time with Dennis Maguire. Elliott is still working, and we discussed playing homeand-home golf in the fall. Elliott plans to attend

the reunion, but Dennis will probably not attend.

I exchanged email messages with Craig Jones on his birthday. He is looking forward to our reunion. Craig has retired and is umpiring high school baseball and softball and is involved with his church and singing in various groups/bands, including his quartet, the Backswing Boys. His grandkids are the highlights of everything. Craig wrote that his mom (Margaret Jones/Tait) is now in assisted living in Virginia Beach. He may attend the VMI football reunion/gathering.

I exchanged emails with Tom Bersson, Pat Griffin, and Rob Robinson regarding my hernia surgery and reunion-related scheduling. Dusty Boyd and Tom Kelly sent messages for a speedy recovery. Tom also wrote that he has been trying to contact Jim Lunsford. I also tried, even using Facebook, but to no avail.

Craig “Wiennie” Wilson sent an email that he registered for the reunion. We may try to play golf during the weekend if he can arrive early or stay late. I exchanged email messages with Jeff Basilotta on his birthday. His email address was not on the database, so I sent him the reunion link.

Dave Hagemann sent an email with an attached photo while he and Diana were on an Alaskan cruise. They stopped in Ketchikan and met Hunter Davis for a tour that included seeing bears and bald eagles. Dave and Diana are attending our reunion.

I spoke with Wade Stinnette, who also had hernia surgery and is fully recovered. Patti and I planned to attend the VMI football game in Charleston versus The Citadel and to visit with Wade and Lannie in Columbia, South Carolina, but now have a wedding to attend.

Chal Glenn sent a text message with a photo taken in Sunset Beach, North Carolina, titled “rehab 2025.” In addition to Chal and Robin, the photo included Doug and Betsy Conyers, Robby and Beth Jones, Rick and Lil Gilbert, and Mark and Doreen McLean

As July ended, I exchanged email messages with Brian Hub and Phil Altizer on their respective birthdays. Brian is doing well and enjoying

retirement but unable to attend our reunion. Phil is also doing well and will attend the reunion.

August began with a Zoom conference that included Tom Bersson, Pat Griffin, and Rob Robinson to further our reunion efforts. Pat has been in contact with Phil Munisteri, who will be traveling to the reunion with Bruno Loefstedt and who will be providing photos to be shown on video screens throughout the weekend.

I exchanged email messages and had a call with Tom “Gunny” Kelly after receiving the Class of 1980 Foundation’s newsletter. Tom continues to recover from a broken leg suffered in a skiing accident. He plans to attend our reunion.

I exchanged email messages with Bob White on his birthday. Bob and Traci are registered for and look forward to seeing everyone at our reunion. I sent a text message to Allen Ramer on his birthday, with copies to Chal Glenn, Mark McLean, and Jody Morgan. I then spoke with Al, who is retired and planning to attend our reunion. He also plans to attend the VMI football game at Navy. Jody wrote that she has not received any reunion email messages, so I sent her a link. She has a full October but will try to arrange her schedule to possibly attend. Mark will not attend our reunion, as he will be attending grandson birthdays in two different states that weekend.

Steve Ikenberry and Steve Kraus share an August birthday, and each replied to an email message. Steve I. plans to attend our reunion, and Steve K. is considering attending. Steve K. was headed to Greece, where his daughter was getting married.

I spoke with Tom Bersson, who said he will be joining a group of our BRs on a fishing trip to Alaska organized by Mike Flinn. Tom said that Jeff Basilotta, Don Bradshaw, and Mike Luning were also going.

Further to the above regarding Doug Reddington; we communicated via text message. Doug arrived in London and began the trip to Edinburgh. However, after starting, the event was canceled due to weather conditions.

Throughout the period, I exchanged email messages with Tracy Wilson regarding the English

Premier League, which begins a new season in August. Tracy is registered for the reunion, as are all of his roommates, Dan Conn, Vince Copenhaver, Dennis Jacobs, and John Stallings

Patrick McCarthy sent an email with information about a team flying on a mission trip to Peru. Patrick said he registered for the Natural Bridge Hotel but had not received the reunion registration link, which I sent.

I spoke with Gary Levenson. Gary is enjoying retirement and looking forward to our reunion. I exchanged email messages with Tom Shedd. He

will be attending the reunion along with his roommates, Phil Altizer and Mike Rellins. I also exchanged email messages with Bob Liguori. Bob is registered for the reunion and plans to retire May 1.

Frank Hilton sent a text after receiving the Alumni Review. Frank, an attorney, will be retiring Dec. 31. Frank and Wanda will be attending the reunion. Frank also spoke with Bob Hillard Bob had not received any reunion-related information, which was forwarded.

Lastly, Patti and I are retiring in 2025. I worked full-time through May 9 and will work part-time through Aug. 31 and retire fully as of Sept. 1. Patti’s last day is Dec. 31, 2025. We are discussing our next chapter, but for now, we will remain in NYC and maintain our house in the Poconos.

Please take a few minutes to confirm that your information on the VMI database (vmialumni. org/ranks) is up to date. Accurate information is essential to keeping you informed. Finally, some alumni opt out of receiving communication from VMI. This can be accomplished while still receiving communication (email, cards, etc.) from me. Please contact me if you have any questions or need assistance.

Thank you for your continuing support and for keeping me in the loop via phone calls, text messages, and email. Apologies for any delayed responses. Hope to see you/have seen you in October in Lexington! And thank you again to Tom Bersson, Pat Griffin, and Rob Robinson for their time, input, and insight into the planning of the reunion.

to give thanks for all of our blessings, individually and as “the greatest class that has ever graced the VMI barracks.” We are often imitated but never duplicated! Now, on to our notes ...

Jerry Manley

Brother Rats, Family, and Friends of ‘81, It is amazing how quickly time flies! Seems like it was just a few weeks ago that we finished class notes for May, and now I am wrapping up another submission in the middle of August! Inputs were a bit light for our August class notes. I attribute that to many enjoying summer vacations and travels. However, I will see if I can stretch them out. (Much like I stretched out the many ill-fated love letters from barracks, eh, Grover? Haha!)

By the time you read these words, it will be mid-November, and hopefully, we will all be preparing for a joyful Thanksgiving! That said, I pray you all had a wonderful summer and are preparing

On May 16, just one day after I submitted our last Review input, I received a phone call from our BR John Dixon. It was a tremendous and welcomed surprise, as John and I have emailed often but rarely spoken on the phone! John was in great spirits and shared with me his pending operation, which he ultimately had in early June. Even better—fast forward 3 months—BR Mike Denton called to share that he completed a Zoom call with John and their other two roommates, Ed “Ebo” Brown and Greg White. Mike underscored how good it was catching up with John, Ed, and Greg. He further stressed how important it was talking with BRs through Zoom, particularly given how busy our lives can be and how we are often separated by many miles. Mike, John, Ed, and Greg have since set up a regular schedule to Facetime or Zoom to better stay in touch.

John and Colleen Ditillo were on the road with their camper in May. They planted stakes in Powhatan State Park for a few nights and afforded Shannon and I an opportunity to share some “burgers and booze” at their campsite. John and Colleen enjoyed the park for an extra couple days before heading to the Raleigh area for more family visits. Before they departed Powhatan, they swung by Shannon’s coffee shop before we shared our goodbyes.

Steve Tennant also made an appearance in Powhatan on his way to Williamsburg, Virginia, for a family gathering. Steve flew into Richmond May

22 and made a beeline to the coffee shop, where he was met by BRs Mat Merriman, Ken “Catman” Morris, Gator Underwood, and me. After a brief time, we segued over to the Three Crosses Distillery in Powhatan (VMI family-owned!) to share in more good “cheer.” After a few drinks and purchasing a few additional bottles, Steve then continued on to Williamsburg. The following day, Steve joined some of our Tidewater BRs for a visit with Ed Oast at the Lake Taylor Transitional Care Hospital in Norfolk. Joining that day were BRs Larry Butler, Rob “Cos” Costello, John Holloway, Bruce Kitchen, and Wirt Shinault. I will never tire of adding that the visits with Ed by our local Tidewater BRs continue on a weekly basis. Most recently (as of this writing in early August), BR Rich Nehls was in town from Naples, Italy, and joined Cos and Geoff in a visit. Ed was extremely happy to see his “roomie,” Rich, and the other BRs.

Trip Lloyd wrote to say he retired effective June 30 from USAID but clarified to say the paperwork was submitted in March and the Office of Personnel Management is currently combing through it. He is now seeking purpose, direction, and financial stability in retirement. He finished the 2025 season of the Virginia Renaissance Faire and has joined the organization’s board of directors to help lead their future—and there are major changes afoot. “The Merry Wives of Windsor” and “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” were great successes, and he is now in rehearsals for an October performance of “Frankenstein” and a new musical version of “A Christmas Carol” in December. He and his bride, Anne, had such a good time on their 3-week east-to-west Panama Canal cruise that they are doing a west-to-east Panama Canal cruise in September.

It would not be an August Review submission without talking

about our annual Smith Mountain Lake ski bash. It was, yet again, another phenomenal time! The weather was incredible, and the brotherhood was even better! In attendance this year, along with many family members, were Tom Albro, Karl Betz, Rob “Cos” Costello, John Ditillo, John Ferry, Jim Hart, Geoff Hinshelwood, Mark Kanter, Hank Lee, Jerry Manley, Gary Morgan, Robert “Clinker” Moss, Mike Placzek, Bill Stamm, Bob “Gator” Underwood, Greg Wolven, and Vince Wood. As always, the meals were excellent, the drinks were plentiful, and the stories were embellished. Tremendous thanks goes to Jim Hart, Derek Hart ’94, and the entire Hart family for hosting and supporting each year.

Pete Tranchik sent me several texts to catch up. Pete wrote that he and his wife, Barbara, had Bob Cody over for lunch in mid-July. Bob was on his way home after completing some continuing education in the Philadelphia/Valley Forge area. Later that month, Pete and Barb caught up with Bob and Agnieszka Munno in Manhattan for breakfast and shopping on a street market on the Upper East Side. It seems that BR Cody did not have enough of Pete and Barb as they again met up at the Mountainside Café in Falls Village, Connecticut, Aug. 9.

Speaking of BR Bob Cody, he chimed in on his own. Bob shared that he was in the D.C. and Charlottesville areas for a teaching workshop in late July. While in D.C., he spent time at the Navy Museum. He shared that his uncle was a Navy chief petty officer in the D.C. Navy band, where he spent his entire 20-year career.

Not submitted by our BR but I feel compelled to highlight: On July 28, BR Mike Denton and family were honored to attend the christening of the USS Jeremiah Denton (DDG 129), the third Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyer to be built at the shipyard.

DDG 129 is named for our BR’s father, Rear Adm. Jeremiah Denton Jr., former U.S. senator and Vietnam War veteran who was awarded the Navy Cross for his heroism as a POW. DDG 129 will feature the AN/SPY-6(V)1 Air and Missile Defense Radar and the Aegis Baseline 10 Combat System that is required to keep pace with the threats well into the 21st century. Ingalls Shipbuilding has five Flight IIIs currently under construction. (Your father would be extremely proud and honored, Mike! Cheers and godspeed to the future crew of the USS Denton!)

On to BR Ray Lawson! Shortly after Ray “retired,” he shared that USC Aiken reached out and has him coming back for one more academic year of teaching. An offer to a Ph.D. EE who was supposed to teach the course didn’t work out, leaving a critical teaching vacancy, and Ray was recognized as the right one for the job—so he took it. Ray and Gale’s daughter, Savannah, made a career change from the aerospace industry to the nuclear industry. She moved back to Aiken, South Carolina, and has a house about 4 miles from Ray and Gale and just two blocks from their oldest son and his family. Gale and Ray did take some time off to attend an art convention in Bethesda, Maryland. They met many nice folks and took a couple of very good, and challenging, classes to improve their art skills! Ray also shared his appreciation for the efforts Rich Bartholomew and Mike Duval put into our bimonthly class Zoom prayer meetings and Bible study. Ray (as well as the rest of us who join in) shared he gets a lot out of those virtual gatherings! (I echo your last, Ray! For those interested, we meet the first and third Tuesday of each month. Contact me, Rich, Mike, Ray, or any other participant should you like further information.)

Joe Moan shared a brief bit of news. He became tired of hearing people complain about how bad politicians are doing, so he ran for the select board in Kennebunkport and was elected to a 3-year term. Joe wrote: “In Maine, we have a different governance model. No mayor is elected, but a city manager is hired and reports to the select board. Stay tuned.” (I can see Joe shaking the board up a bit! Haha!) Joe and Janet are also excited that their nephew, A.J. Betts ’08, was promoted to commander in the USCG and has moved to Portland, Maine, with his wife and two young girls.

Several “quick hitters:” John and Jody Locher were on their way to Lexington May 15 to attend son Jack’s final parade and associated events leading up to his graduation on the following Saturday. John and Jody are justly proud. (Huge congratulations to Jack Locher ’24 from the VMI Class of ’81!)

Tim Nitz continues to entertain many in the

greater Richmond area. In June, he was “pickin’ and grinnin’” with his guitar solo at Mason’s Famous Lobster Roll. Tim routinely shares with the Richmond BRs when and where he is playing locally. I will strive to push the word out to wider groups in the event BRs are traveling through the Richmond area.

Bruce Kitchen shared that he attended the fourth annual VMI football reunion in early August with BRs Bill Grigg, Lou Darden, Sam Woolwine, and Louis Rolan. They had a great time catching up and reliving their “glory days!”

Harry Moore wrote that he will be retiring from Hillis Carnes Engineering Associates in September. He will still work a part-time consulting gig to keep from driving Donna crazy. He hopes to have some time to spend with his five grandkids (and a sixth on the way) and maybe a couple of trips to VMI football games.

Ken “Catman” Morris stopped by Shannon’s coffee shop in early August just after Chappy Lucas ’79 and Anthony Pais ’79 had arrived. While the three were sharing a table, Patrick Coor ’13 stumbled in. I didn’t have much time to chat with the four of them, as I was filling in for Shannon (read: I had my apron on!), but it appeared that Catman kept the “81-2” BRs well entertained. (I can’t swear to it, but after Catman left, I believe I heard Chappy tell Anthony, “There goes the most interesting man in the world!”)

Lastly, I wish to extend reverence to several losses we have had in our extended class family. First, BR Chip Johnson’s adoring wife, Loretta, tragically passed away June 7 after a brief illness. We shared with the class Loretta’s heartfelt and moving obituary that was beautifully written by our BR Chip. I would do Chip a disservice by trying to summarize short of saying that Loretta was incredibly accomplished and indeed a devoted wife, mother, step-mother, grandmother, and so much

more. BRs Paul Boulden and Jake Jaks were able to attend and represent the class at her services at St. Therese Catholic Church in Albuquerque July 25.(For Chip, our hearts are with you and your family in this time of loss. Loretta was an incredible and inspiring woman, and you were blessed by her love.)

Second, Jim Waring’s father, Mowton “Tony” L. Waring Jr. ’56, passed away July 6 in Irvington, Virginia, at age 90. Tony was a legacy VMI man through and through, having VMI ties dating back to his grandfather, James Mowton Saunders Waring ’894. His ties also included his father, Mowton L. Waring ’927; uncle, Robert K. Waring ’924; cousin, Robert K. Waring Jr. ’50B; and sons, Jim Waring ’81 and Matthew Waring ’83. Tony also served as an assistant professor of military science, Army ROTC, and as a tactical officer at VMI from 1964–67. While a cadet at VMI, Tony was a proud member of the VMI swim team. He held a VMI swim record that stands to this day in the 300-yard medley relay. The NCAA discontinued this event in the 1960s, so it may stand forever! Tony was also in the Glee Club and performed for President Eisenhower. Tony served 30 years of active duty as an Army armor officer, retiring at the rank of colonel. He was married to his wife, Connie, for 57 years until she passed away in 2014. They dated throughout Tony’s entire cadetship at VMI, including attending Ring Figure. Third, Jim Hanratty’s father, James J. Hanratty, passed away unexpectedly Aug. 4 in Chalfont, Pennsylvania, at age 91. He was surrounded by his loving family. The son of Irish immigrants, James learned early in life that God, family, hard work, friendship, and loyalty were the keys to lifelong happiness and success. He graduated from Northeast Catholic High School, Philadelphia, in 1952 and then enlisted in the Air Force. When he was discharged in 1957, he enrolled in

Penn State University but soon found that school was not for him, and he began running blocks of ice in Philadelphia with his father. Then, God intervened and brought his then-future wife, Brenda, into his life. He quickly realized there had to be a better way to make a living for a family. He earned and excelled in positions with Coca-Cola and later Johnson Wax. In the early 1970s, he joined a new business venture as executive vice president to start Penn Valley Chemical in Lansdale, Pennsylvania. In 1991, James “officially” retired at age 57 but continued to tinker with a coffee/espresso business until he finally focused solely on investing. James was married to and survived by his loving wife, Brenda, for more than 66 years.

To BRs Johnson, Waring, and Hanratty, our hearts remain with you and your families in this time of loss. The words shared above fall far short in capturing the incredible lives of your lost loved ones. Please know that the class is with each of you in thought and in prayer.

In closing to all, stay in touch and make the time to visit or call one another. Have a very blessed Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, and holiday season!

Cheers and God bless you all.

In the Bonds, Jerry

1982

Will Council

Hello, Brother Rats,

Hope you all have been enjoying your summer months. Susan and I just returned from a brief trip to New Orleans as a prequel anniversary trip. Food is always the top priority when heading down that way. This time, we spent a lot of time at the National World War II Museum, and if you have not been to it before, I highly recommend it. I was really surprised at my wife’s enthusiasm for going to this museum and its tours. She first recommended it! If you go, plan to take more than 1 day. It covers 6 acres and multiple buildings.

As we returned to Chattanooga, we arrived just in time for an epic deluge of heavy rain, which flooded the interstate and made the national news.

I am just glad I was not camping in it!

So, I survived summer camp and successfully finished as program director for our high ropes

and challenge course. Nobody got hurt, which is always a good thing. I still remember the obstacle course at VMI and the ziplines across the river. I know that is where I really fell in love with challenge courses. Just as I am starting to feel a little cocky, Gunny Holmes (HBR) posted some of his challenge course events in the Marines with no safety belays or harnesses.

Gunny has been really posting lots of things on our class Facebook page. Most recently, he caught up with fellow BR and Marine Joel McBroom. Great seeing them together but I got to admit: Joel, life is too short for drinking bad beer. You need to step up your game.

Gunny also just recently had a new hip installation done, so he is now ready to lead PT with us

again. I think I will sit this one out.

Daryl Deke is again sending in updates on his travels. He and Richard Woolwine won their flight at a golf tournament at Richard’s club, the Olde Farm in Abingdon, Virginia. I am the first to admit that I don’t golf above the level of putt-putt courses, so I had to ask what the heck a “flight” was and what did they win? Well, the plaques, obviously. Great job, guys! Are you getting closer to shooting your ages?

Locally, Daryl and Sherry were scheduled to host a rat send-off at their home in Nashville, but it was canceled at the last minute as there were no rats to be found this year. That is a shame, as I had hoped to see some more photos from them and maybe even crash the party as a surprise. Maybe next year.

Some of our BRs traveled to Lexington in May for the graduation ceremonies since our very own Darren McDew was a special guest speaker. I received some distant shots but not a BR picture, so I am not sure if anyone was able to grab Darren between activities. Please share if you did.

George Mayforth has forewarned us that he is coming back up for Family Weekend in October. Probably already has the parking pass in the window! George, we expect a full report again on all the festivities. This time, get the names to go with all those photos from the parties you attend.

I asked for any class notes updates on our page and heard from a few. Andy Balding is dog sitting for his Army son while he is deployed to our border. That’s what parents do for their fur grandchildren. I must say, picking up after them on a walk is better than changing a dirty diaper, though.

John Bieltz checked in after a great visit with Dewey Martin in Clearwater. Dewey and Terri were great hosts for the visit. John continued to report that he took his 92-year-old mom out to dinner. She always loved Dewey since our days in

Class Notes

Room 161. That motion was seconded by Scott Wooddell!

That’s about all we have to report this time around. I hope to hear from all those tailgating folks as we roll into the football season. Especially since our only legacy cadet, Louis Marangoni ’27, is a 2nd Class cadet now. Do we have any others?

Sincerely, Your Class Agent, Will Council

Jamie MacDonald

Brother Rats, Summer is behind us, and I hope you are enjoying the new season. Jennifer and I are enjoying our summer. We are finding time to spend on the lake in New Hampshire and look forward to finishing our summer there with a brief vacation within a vacation in Maine. Our youngest daughter, Grace, was recently engaged to a fine young man, so there is no doubt the next year will be spent planning a wedding. I declared to Grace and Jennifer that my role would be limited to enthusiastically supporting whatever plan they approve. I often see Whit Owens at the Pentagon. Whit and I, along with Steve Ward ’02, Tim Craul, and Lee Wimbish ’84, attended Matt’s retirement from the Army after 43 years of combined military and civilian service. It was a great ceremony and did much to honor Matt and his family. In his remarks, Matt made a shout-out to his ’83 BRs. He and Susan will now have more time to spend with their grandchildren. Congratulations, Matt.

In other events, I linked up with Steve Amato and Tim Craul at an alumni event at the Army Navy Country Club sponsored by the George C. Marshall Alumni Chapter and hosted by Eric Schnabel ’00. The keynote speaker at this great event was retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Carl Strock ’70

This summer, I completed my second and final term on the VMI Alumni Association Board of Directors as co-regional director for Region XIV (NOVA/Metro D.C.). It was an honor to serve our alumni and the Institute, and I am tremendously comforted knowing that Steve Amato filled my billet and will serve us with distinction.

Now for the important updates. Several BRs checked in, providing some great updates, and others just reached out to say hello. Barry Smith touched base to let me know that he and Malachi Mills linked up for lunch at Smokey Bones Restaurant in Roanoke. Dortch and Cynthia Warriner shared a wonderful announcement of the marriage of their son, David Dortch Warriner II ’13, to Miss Grace S. Lin. They are a great-looking couple. Congratulations to the Warriners!

Chris Caudill also touched base to say hello and to share the news of his dad’s 93rd birthday! Chris added that his dad makes him wear his class ring every visit. Chris ended with an open invitation to anyone finding themselves in Tampa to give him a call if they want to play golf.

J.J. Costello reached out to share that he recently experienced a medical emergency from complications from a previous treatment. With the help of wife Cherie, some medical attention, and prayers, J.J. is back on his feet at work, getting things done for the Navy. J.J., always having a “never quit” attitude, even managed to recover sufficiently to go on a cruise with Cherie. Way to go, J.J.!

Phil Hubbard shared an update with a photo of himself with his wife, Beth, and their grandson, Parker. Parker’s mom, Elizabeth, is Phil and Beth’s oldest and a pediatric dentist! Phil is still working for HRSD as a senior project manager and still doing pumping stations, force mains, and gravity work. Phil very much still enjoys what he is doing. He also shared that in September 2023, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and proceeded with surgery to remove his prostate. As of this writing, he was nearing the completion of his radiation treatment. Phil is very optimistic and says everything is going great. He looks forward to seeing everyone at our next reunion.

Jim Stader and I exchanged notes. He is battling his multiple myeloma cancer and reports he is holding his own. Jim has been a courageous warrior in his fight against cancer and is pressing on with his journey to defeat it. Jim says he is hanging in there and very much appreciates the

support of Steve and Mary Amato and his roommates, Snake Arnold and Dave Clarke, and their checking in on him.

Also checking in was Al Toler. Al is still shooting competitively and doing quite well. His accomplishments after more than 30 years of competitive shooting are numerous, while participating in multiple National Rifle Association and Civilian Marksmanship Program-sponsored match pistol matches. In these events, Al earned honors as the open class winner and Virginia state champion. At the NRA National competition, Al and his team placed second in the two-man team pistol match. At the CMP National matches, Al continued to set the pace for his contemporaries, earning the Elihu Root Gold Medal for placing in the top four civilian competitors in the national trophy pistol team match. He also placed in the top 100 competitors during the President’s Hundred Pistol Trophy match. Al, that is an exemplary record of achievement, and I acknowledge the significance of the ranking in the president’s 100. Outstanding!

Skip Goodwillie had news to share, as well. In his update, Skip wrote, “The retirement is going well. If I’d known it would be this good, I’d have done it sooner! I haven’t made it back to ‘Mother I’ since a football game in the fall, but with football season just around the corner, I hope to make it to any tailgate events that Staci and I can crash ... uh ... attend! The kids and grandkids are all doing well and are healthy, as are Staci and I. The summer has been filled with golf. Staci and I play golf together with other couples in team matches, and she qualified for the Richmond Country Club’s women’s states team sponsored by the Richmond Women’s Golf Association. It’s a 3-day event, and it is scheduled for next week at Hermitage Country Club in Manakin Sabot, Virginia. I’m proud of her, if you couldn’t tell! The golf has gotten in the way of going to Smith Mountain Lake a bit, but I am still pimping my golf cart and Triton to their full potentials! Finally, I just finished with the draft of an 18-page story about how my father, Class of ’60, and one of his high school buddies who attended The Citadel had a $5 bet on the VMI–The Citadel football game for over 50 years! I was able to glean through the original card from 1972, where it started and all the letters, notes, obits (that was funny), and ultimately emails as the rivalry continued. The next generation of VMI and The Citadel fans have the distinct honor of continuing the bet, and true to form, I have to pay the $5 from last fall’s VMI loss. Scott Belliveau, expect the draft in your inbox to see if any of it can be used in the Alumni Review!” Skip, we look forward to reading that story.

Hugh Daughtry sent his greetings from the Old North State! In his report, Hugh shared, “Robin and I relocated back home to North Carolina from Rocky Top a couple of years ago. COVID changed a lot of business models, and I and a lot of my coworkers can work from anywhere now. We’re in Brunswick County, just outside Wilmington, closer to family and a much more desirable location for our kids to visit. I had a hard time getting them to Knoxville unless I had Bama or Georgia tickets for a Vols game. We’ve built our second house in 7 years, and the marriage is still strong! It’s been a great VMI ’83 summer, starting with a backpack camping trip with John Geis and Spence Westbrook. We met up at John’s domicile in Winston-Salem and headed to Mount Rogers in Southwest Virginia. Mother Nature didn’t exactly cooperate, and we had quite a bit of rain, but that didn’t stop us! It was great fun, and we are none the worse for wear. Spence is enjoying the retired life in Richmond, doing a lot of hiking, looking after his mom, and taking good care of his dog, Bingo. John continues with Truist in Winston, and he and Susan get down to my neck of the woods often, having a house at Kure Beach. Just when I thought the summer couldn’t get better, Charlie Luck invited a few of his brother rats down to Abaco in the Bahamas for a trip to Fantasy Island. I was joined by Joe Barra, Steve Goddard, Ivan Marcotte, and Gene Warren. We enjoyed fresh conch (that we found snorkeling), and beautiful scenery, whether we were on Charlie’s boat or hiking around the east shore of the island. Charlie was the perfect host, and all had a wonderful time. A few of you guys’ ears were probably burning as many funny stories were recounted! Charlie continues at Luck Stone. His son, Richard Luck ’12, has taken over the day-to-day operations, allowing Charlie and Lisa to kick back a little and enjoy a house full of grandchildren. Joe is just outside Boston practicing law when he and Phyllis aren’t skiing in Vermont. Steve, when not running his financial services company in Richmond, is into historical renovation! He and Cheryl are restoring an 18th-century house on the James River. Once complete, he will be joining the landed gentry. Ivan and Donna split time between Asheville and Montana. Ivan is really enjoying retirement and settling into that ‘Yellowstone’ lifestyle. Gene and Laura are in Buckhead, and he continues being

a major force in the building of Atlanta. Gene is spending a good amount of time fishing, too.” Steve Amato wrote that he participated in the second annual Drew Ross Memorial Foundation’s Legacy Ruck and Roll June 7, 2025. The goals of the Legacy Ruck and Roll are to raise awareness and funds for the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation and the Drew Ross Memorial Foundation. Nearly 300 participants attended the event. The 3-mile ruck started at the beautiful Virginia War Memorial, followed trails on Belle Isle, and ended at the Foundry at Tredegar Iron Works in Richmond. Steve provided a photo of himself with BR Steve Ross before the start of the ruck. Steve added that the Legacy Ruck and Roll is a wonderful event that brought former service members together, provided the opportunity for citizens young and old to speak with veterans, had various stations which discussed specific events pertaining to the Global War on Terrorism, reminded the participants of the sacrifices service members

and their respective families made to protect our freedom, and provided the opportunity for veterans to share their GWOT experiences. BR Stephen Ross was one of the key organizers and a speaker at the Legacy Ruck and Roll. To find out more about the DRMF, go to drewross.org. Steve also shared that July was a busy month for him and Mary. Several BRs attended the VMI Nationals baseball game July 6, 2025. He met up with BRs Chip Shirley, Tim Craul, and Jamie MacDonald BR Mark Sykes and his wife, Kim, hosted lunch for Steve and Mary, and they hiked in the Ellanor C.Lawrence Park in Chantilly, Virginia. Also in July, Steve and Mary met BR Stephen Ross and wife Kerry for lunch. Stephen retired in June 2025 from being the director of veterans’ affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University. On a final note, Steve still has class coins! There are 72 left, and if anyone is interested, just contact Steve at amatostevemary@gmail.com.

I received a quick note from Bryan Henderson In his update, Bryan wrote, “Mark and I are still running to keep the world spinning. OK, well maybe not, but we continue to run races, sometimes together, sometimes not, but always bringing the gospel of Jesus and ministering to those in the run. My last race was July 11–13 at Camp Merrill in Dahlonega, Georgia. Mark ran this one, too. It was a 48-hour race. OK, I wimped out and slept for 3 hours early Sunday morning. But when I woke up, I ran the next 21 miles hard. Overall, I hit 159 miles and took third place out of 88 runners. Mark was battling some ongoing knee pain and stopped after 100 miles. However, he just ran another 48-hour race in Fort Worth, Texas, and took first place. I might add that neither of us sets our target on the win, but if it happens, hoohah! We are both more interested in helping folks down the trail of the race and the trail of life. Next up for me is a 100-miler in Pensacola, Florida, on Labor Day weekend.” Bryan, you and Mark are amazing.

Mike Gleason made it just in time to file his update. In his update, Mike wrote, “So, for my news to contribute, this October, I’m happily meeting the 30-year milestone with the state of Virginia, the State Corporation Commission, and along with my 65th birthday, will be retiring this October. I’m very much looking forward to enjoying a whole lot more of motorcycling,

bicycling, trips to the gym, and any other ways I might, but hopefully not, hurt myself. And, along with my wonderful wife of over 30 years, Elisabeth, I plan on enjoying more traveling, too! Just last year, she organized an incredible trip to

Kenya. We started out in Mombasa on the Indian Ocean, then continued with two safaris, the first to Amboseli National Park and the second to Tsavo East National Park. We had a Toyota Land Cruiser entirely to ourselves, and the sights we saw will stay with us forever—elephants in front of Mount Kilimanjaro, certainly. I wish all my BRs well!”

In addition to the above updates, I’ve kept in contact with Marty Curry, John Geis, Ivan Marcotte, Jim Outland, Mark Waters, and Spence Westbrook. For all BRs, please reach out from time to time to let us know how you are doing.

As many of you are aware, every year I send you a holiday card and birthday card. If you are unaware of those mailings, it might be because your address is not updated in the Alumni Agencies’ system. Many cards have been returned to me due to an outdated address. Please update your contact information so I can access your current address and mail you your cards. You can let the Alumni Agencies know that the address is provided only to receive class agent communications and the Alumni Review. Please contact me if you want to know how to update your contact information.

In closing, if you know of a BR who is among the disconnected or perhaps not doing well, please try to bring them into the fold. A text message or email helps us stick together, increases our collective awareness of how we all are doing, and provides a means of support.

Best wishes to you all. As ever, stay well and stay connected.

—Jamie

1984

Sam Browne

Dear Brother Rats,

I hope you had a wonderful summer and had an opportunity to make some enduring memories with family and friends. Nita, my three children, and I spent a glorious week in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, the last week of July. The weather was not so good (lots of thunderstorms, which cleared the beach several times), but being at the beach with the whole family was priceless!

First, I want to congratulate the Class of 1987, whose cadet captain is VMI’s 16th superintendent, Lt. Gen. David Furness ’87. Not to brag, but I had the pleasure of attending Marine ROTC classes with David and knew he was special. Also,

perhaps ’87 can find it in their hearts to forgive us now for running one of the longest Rat Lines in the history of modern-day VMI.

Now, let us dive into the meat of the class notes. First off, apologies to BR Martin for overlooking his submission for the previous batch of class notes. Matt shared an email dated March 23, which reads as follows: “I hope you and yours are doing well. It was great seeing you at the hockey game. I had a great time, and it was awesome catching up with everyone.

“I wanted to share this with you about Todd W.

Minnix ’82. Todd and I met each other at VMI while he was a trainer on the football team. He and I have worked together on a few transportation projects; he is the chief, Transportation Design Division, FCDOT, and I am a consultant responsible for the design of the projects. I had to wear the colors at this event: VMI tie and my VMI button tie clip that I always have when wearing a tie. Todd retired in March, and Matt was able to attend his retirement ceremony at the Fairfax County Department of Transportation. Todd has been working for Fairfax County for the last 22 years. He has been the chief of the Transportation Design Division of the Fairfax County Department of Transportation for the last 15 years, where he was responsible for the implementation of a large portion of the county’s Transportation Priorities Plan. Matt noted that he could tell from the attending staff that they enjoyed working for Todd, respected him, and would miss him.

chapter meeting was VMI’s chief of staff, Col. Travis Homiak ’95 Jerome was able to catch up on all things VMI.

I also heard from Chris Parks in August. Chris noted he had been busy designing and lasering lately. I can vouch for the quality of Chris’ work; I use the bourbon set regularly. Chris notes he and Craig Peacock talk every other day. Craig is running a lasering business in Northern Virginia, as well.

On June 14, Shawn Flores emailed from his summer perch in Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. Shawn joined his in-laws for their annual trip, recalling visits to several lakes, beaches, Bear Island, the Outer Banks, and other spots evoking memories in me of a Jimmy Buffett song. Shawn connected with some alums from ’70 and ’97. Shawn noted that his mission during the vacation was to spend much time with his grandson, Noah Edward.

On July 6, several BRs, including Bill Seaver, Mike Kay, Mark Krajewski, Robert Carpenter, and yours truly got together in Washington for the VMI Nats game. We connected with several other Keydets in attendance, ranging from the Classes of 1970 to 2025! I understand that other brother rats from ’84 were in attendance, as well, but the core group of Seaver, Kay, and Krajewski could not corral everyone for a picture.

Mike Grafton, April, T.J., and Arthur visited Washington, D.C., in July. I had an opportunity to have a lovely dinner with Mike and his family. It was a lot of fun catching up after so many years.

In August, Jerome Brinkley reached out and updated on his many summer activities. He and Stephanie were planning to spend some time in Switzerland and France for some well-deserved R&R for a business and family vacation. Jerome also hosted the South Carolina Coastal Chapter at his home in August. The guest of honor for the

As many of you know, I am retiring at the end of 2025 after 25 years as a civil servant and 11 years as a federal contractor. I had the honor to work with some incredibly smart people, including a Nobel laureate. I made lifelong friends and had the opportunity to work in the same agency with several brother rats (Jamie Clark, Chris Murnane) and alums (Greg Hatchett ’90, Ryan Peay ’02).

I look forward to seeing you on post this fall and/or at an away football game; we have exciting ones this year, including Navy!

Reflecting on all these updates, I’m reminded how fortunate we are to be part of this remarkable brotherhood—a community that, despite the passage of years, remains tightly knit by shared experiences, enduring friendships, and the indelible traditions of our alma mater. It’s inspiring to see the diverse paths we’ve taken—whether it’s through public service, military service, entrepreneurial ventures, or treasured family adventures—all while staying connected to our roots. Looking ahead, I encourage each of you to keep sending your stories, big or small. They not only keep us in touch but also serve as a testament to the long-lasting impact of our days at VMI. As we approach the next chapter, whether it’s retirement, new travels, or simply another year together, let’s continue to celebrate one another and foster the spirit that has always defined our class.

Until next time, take care and rah Virginia Mil!

1985

Bill Wieners

’85:

Nothing like a Lexington summer to remind me

of how happy I am to be home at last.

Mark Carroll took over the Charlie Company golf safari, and about 40 of our brother rats showed up in Lexington for the first weekend in August. It was good to see everyone, and by all indications, they all had a good time together. It was good to see everyone, laugh, share, and break bread. Reach out to Mark if you want to come next year; it is laid back, and there is no nonsense, everybody enjoys the time together and being with whomever whenever. It is nice to see them all enjoying being together. Please come and check it out.

The new Rat Mass has now matriculated, and I had the opportunity to meet several of them and their parents. They are excited to be attending the Institute and have reminded me once again of what VMI is.

I had lunch with Meade King and J.J. Wranek, and it was great to catch up with them, as always. Meade and Leslie have another grandson, Benjiman, aka “Benny Bill!” The topics of discussion are always top shelf! Lambs, turkey eggs, and, of course, all things “chicken!”

Joe Irby returned in one piece from his trip to Idaho, and he looks great! All is well with Joe, and he and Cindy also welcomed their first grandson into the world. Beautiful little guy! Congrats to the Irbys!

Dave Brennan and I had a nice email exchange, and I truly appreciated his comments and insights after not having contact with him in such a long while. I am proud and glad to be ’85 and to have moments like that—thankful.

Bob Neal writes: “Bill ... As Joe Irby is in Idaho, he asked that I send you notes on our Lewis and Clark trail travels and the classmates we visited along the way. For history, in early 2024, Joe had the idea to follow the Lewis and Clark trail to the Pacific Ocean and back. He enlisted me on this endeavor, as well as Palmer Hamilton, who joined us in Billings, Montana. Palmer spent a week traveling and departed from Portland, Oregon. We seriously started our travels in the luxury of the BFOT in St. Louis, Missouri, and loosely followed the trail to Fort Clatsop in Oregon before returning to St. Louis. During our travels that were given to many side excursions, we encountered numerous Lewis and Clark interpretive centers and statues. Highlights included the Sargeant Floyd Monument, Fort Mandan, Pompey’s Pillar, Great Falls, Lolo Pass, Columbia River Gorge, Multnomah Falls, Cape Disappointment, and Fort Clatsop. Excursions included Teddy Roosevelt National Park, Celtic Cowboy Bar, Haystack Rock, McMenamin’s Hotel Roof Top Bar, Tillamook World Ice Cream Headquarters, Craters of the Moon National Monument, Victor, Idaho, and Jackson Hole,

Wyoming. Along the way, we received great hospitality and more ‘good times’ with classmates Jeff Norris (Omaha, Nebraska), Steve Heflin (Clarkston, Washington), and Tim Bailey (St. Louis, Missouri). They made our travels even more special. Below are pictures of good-looking people being good looking! Thanks, Bob Neal.”

Joe Pauly writes: “Now for a more serious note. It was great seeing the BRs at our 40th Reunion. I enjoyed the weekend. A big thank you to our BRs who organized it. Sorry I was not able to make Charlie Company safari this year. As far as what I am doing ... I am still in the fight doing what I have always been doing (wink wink). As I am writing this, I just came back from one of my ‘business trips.’ I am glad I can still contribute to the mission. It is still interesting and not without excitement at times. Other than that, family is doing well. I hope I can get back to the ‘Mother I’ sometime in 2026. Cheers, Joe.”

Ron Reimann shared: “Erik (USNA ’23) just started his division officer tour on USS Kentucky (SSBN 737) in Bangor, Washington. I was the weapons officer on Kentucky from 1993–95. Thor graduated in May from Harvard and was selected to deliver his senior class oration. All our kids are graduated and off the parent payroll!”

Bill Arthur writes: “Still an archivist on Capitol Hill. I just passed 26 years, and my goal is to retire once all the senators who were here when I arrived in 1999 are gone. I still have nine senators who have been here longer than me. At least two of them are retiring in 2026. My plan is to stay for 30 years (2029 or 2030), but I may stay longer if there’s a possibility of outlasting all of them and completing the set. I spoke with Gary Klein about a month ago. He’s with the Corps of Engineers in Germany but planning on returning to Asheville, North Carolina, on completion of that gig sometime in the next year or two. I hope that both you and the rest of the class are well.”

Kevin Holland writes: “Hey, Bill ... hoping [you are] well. [You probably know] more than any other BR what’s going on [with] me, but pretty sure [you] know about my left total shoulder replacement late last year from which I am still recovering. Doc says [it] takes a year or more really. I did visit Dave Olson (lives outside Atlanta) on a trip to Orlando [with] the fam for a wedding back in March. I also think [you know] ‘fam’ for us includes our 35-year-old severely brain-injured daughter. While we [are] both retired, my wife takes her in to her day program, and I pick her up every day, Monday–Friday. Our son is a mech for Cummins in Richmond and lives in Hopewell in a nice place he bought about a year ago. Jeri and I spent a week in Tahoe (mainly

playing blackjack) in February.

“My son, Alex (named after Alex Mason, so pronounced as he does, Elick), and I made our annual trip to Myrtle Beach bike week in mid-May for the week. He has an ’03 vrod. I have a ’93 softail custom, ’05 Ultra Classic, and ’03 V-Rod, as well. We all have an annual trip to Assateague State Park camping for 2 weeks at the end of June. My son and I also spent July 4 at a party on the bay with friends of a good friend originally from Balt (met through my dyke, Ted Comeau ’88). My son and I also made our annual trip to Oley, Pennsylvania, to the Reading MC Club anniversary party at the end of July, and on the way back through, stayed at Rocky Gap State Park in Maryland and hit the casino nearby for a couple days. Headed to Walnut Hills Campground next (not this) weekend for Steph’s (daughter) b-day. Will be joined by Craig and Gena, as well. Looking forward to that. Stay pretty busy on the ‘homestead’ here with 26 acres to keep up with. I think [you] know where we [are. You] need to swing by sometime ... text or call anytime.”

Chuck Rogerson shared: “Bill, good morning, you sexy beast! How are you, brother?! Obviously got your class agent note. As I am a good old soldier and do what I am told, here it goes, teammate. To date, 2025 has thrown everything at us ... life does that sometimes. First, big kudos to you, Meade King, Joe Irby, and all our BRs who planned and executed our 40th Reunion weekend. As always, an exceptional event. Great seeing one of my favorite ‘Devil Dawgs’ in the world, our class president, and catching up with Jim Chartier. I have tremendous respect for his intellect, public speaking skills, and that New England humor and wit. Deeply appreciate Ced and Cassandra putting Charlene and I up for the weekend in their home. Many of us have suffered tremendous losses in 2025. I lost my mom in June. She battled breast cancer and numerous poor health issues. An 89-plus-year run is a life well-lived. Forty-two days later in July, her sister joined her in the afterlife. Seems like all we have done this summer is attend family funerals. Still working through the grieving process. We find great solace and comfort knowing both are no longer in pain and in a much better place. Teammates are also missing. Know how close you and Pat Donahue were. You know my glass is always half full. Sometime before Aug. 29 or so, we are welcoming our fourth grandchild with my son and his wife’s first child, our second granddaughter. We are ecstatic and looking forward to at least quarterly trips to Jacksonville, Florida, to spoil her appropriately. Charlene planned our retirement trip in a rented 21-foot RV in late May/early June to Utah.

We started in Park City (our second winter Olympic venue this year; we did Lake Placid, New York, in the early spring) and met her best high school friends from Montana for some shenanigans. Headed south to Zion National Park and walked The Narrows and Virgin River. Holy smoke, that water was cold! Camped at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and ate at The Lodge before it was consumed by wildfire. Finished up at Monument Valley and walked Forrest Gump Hill; see my video on Facebook if you want a good laugh. July was our Room 141 annual ‘fellas’ weekend’ in Minneapolis, Minnesota. No explanation needed on this one! Always a privilege to spend quality time with the roomies and default to being 21 years old again. Early September, we are going to Nashville to see our daughter and attend the Eric Clapton concert. Heads up, Hugh Hill; coming to you, BR, and will be in touch. Staying busy being grandpa, maintaining two gardens, traveling, firing many practice arrows in preparation for bow season that starts Oct. 4, and spending as much time with family and friends as possible. Take care of yourself and stay well. Love ya, man! Rock.”

Roy Creasey shared: “Bill, I hope you and yours are well. I’ve been meaning to write to you, but somehow things keep bumping up in priority. I’m changing that, and will put a little more focus on ‘Mother I.’ I’ve been dealing with Barrett’s esophagus for several years. However, 2 years ago, my doctor took a biopsy and discovered some dysplasia (basically, pre-cancer). So, I’ve

had to undergo several ablation treatments. With that procedure, the top layer of the affected area is taken off with the hope that the underlying normal cells will regenerate. It is incredibly painful—imagine being stabbed with a hot poker in your stomach every time you swallow. It takes about 4–6 weeks to heal from the procedure. I had my fifth ablation over 2 weeks ago, and the affected area has reduced from 4 centimeters to less than 1 centimeter. Hopefully, I’m finished with the ablations; I’ll know for certain in a few months. I could not have made it without my wife, Mollie, being my cheerleader. Plus my company, Booz Allen Hamilton, allowed me to work from home while I was recovering. I am currently the lead systems engineer for two high-energy laser projects out of the Department of Defense. I plan to be at the game in late November. Take care.”

Terry Ormsby wrote in: “Bill, I hope you are well. ... Timmy is a 1st Class cadet now and the company commander for Company F-4. It was nice seeing his BRs graduate, and he will see some of them in the big green machine next year. Mary is doing well with Loudoun County Fire and Rescue. She likes the 24 hours on and 48 hours off. Annie is now retired from Fairfax County Public Schools, and we often speak fondly of ‘Mother I’ and you! I will try to make the football game Nov. 22 against Western Carolina! RVM, Terry.”

Greg Bond sent an update: “Hi, Bill. Hope all is well, BR. I have been disengaged for quite some time ... just getting ‘mugged by life.’ All good, though. Sorry I missed our reunion, as I already committed to an important work event with my job at Penn State University. I plan on making one soon. It was so good seeing everyone’s mug shots in the reunion photo. Everyone but Brent Hearn still looks very young! Rachel, my wife of 34-anda-half years, and I have been very busy visiting our two grandkids who were in Sacramento, California, and now in South Carolina. Our son and daughter-in-law are both in the Air Force and, as we all did ‘back in the day,’ move around the world at the blink of an eye. Rachel and I are still in San Diego; we hate the perfect weather, warm beaches, and sunny sky ... but someone has to live here. I joined an engineering firm after retiring from the Marine Corps in 2013 and now have been employed with Penn State University for nearly a decade. I travel a lot; when I’m not traveling for and with Penn State, Rachel and I are traveling out of

the country. Once again, my sincere apologies for missing our last reunion. Hope to see everyone at another one soon. Rah Virginia Mil! Greg.”

Dave Olson writes: “Our grandson, Russell Cain Olson, turned 1 July 18. We already have his wrestling singlet. (His dad was a nationally ranked wrestler in college). What’s that ... Class of 2046?”

Chuck Baker shared: “Hi, Bill! It’s been a great summer across the Chuck and Mollie Baker family. My little farm has grown to about 50 animals, including sheep, pigs, turkeys, chickens, ducks, and rabbits. Northeast Ohio farmlands are beautiful, and brother rats passing through Youngstown or Cleveland area are within a stick check of my place—stop by! Mollie and I had our 40th anniversary May 18, and we have our 17th grandchild on the way. We treasure every visit from our kids and their young ones. I had a nice visit to Lexington earlier this year to visit my mother-in-law, Mrs. Tom Joynes “Cozy,” and tour the Institute. Mom is 94 and remembers so many details about VMI and her time in the bookstore; it really is a family event visiting Lexington! Matt Baker ’86 and I had a successful hunt in Maryland together, and because it’s the first time ever that I harvested a bigger deer than he did, I had to share the pic!”

Tucker Maloney writes: “Hey, BW, that was a blast catching up with you and the safari BRs Friday night. Anyway, looking forward to making a run up to Lex this fall sometime, WCU game could be fun as long as you guys still go, will try to make it. My favorite line in your letter: ‘Make a plan to attend if you want.’ See ya, Tucker.”

George Halages shared: “Hi, Bill. It was great seeing everyone at safari. It’s the highlight of the year! Just FYI, Ken Hurst has been fighting liver disease for several years. In addition to being on the transplant list at UVA, he was able to get on at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. A donor liver was found, and he went into surgery this morning at 8:30. As of now, everything has gone well, and he is expected to be out of surgery by 3 p.m. and heading to recovery. Everything looks good so far. Once I hear from his wife, Debbie, I will let you know of any updates. Continued thoughts and prayers for BR Moose!” FYI: Ken’s surgery was a success, and he was in recovery with doc at his bedside! Big smiles! Good luck, Moose! Jake Spivey had been in contact with Rob Gardner, and Rob shared: “Hope all is well! Retired from the Naval War College in May, and we are in the process of transitioning to Tennessee, so I am hoping to attend my first safari next year. (We’ll see, there is something about the timing of reunions and the safari that never seems to match well with my schedule.)”

Byron Ross went global! “Bill, Byron Ross here.

Class Notes

I hope all is well with you and your family. Here’s a note for VMI ’85ers: I linked up with BR Siratep “Tep” Yuktasevi at the reunion and informed him that my wife, Denise, and I had planned a trip to Thailand. He and his wife, Sa, graciously invited us to join them in Bangkok. The time spent with Tep and Sa in Bangkok was phenomenal! The attached is a pic of us at the Grand Palace. If any BR is planning to travel to Bangkok, I highly suggest contacting Tep. He welcomes the opportunity to

explore the city with you. Needless to say, we plan to revisit with Tep and Sa in the near future.”

The VMI Alumni Agencies updated me on alumni giving, and it is higher than ever, including the Class of ’85! Good job, BRs; keep it coming! Give to VMI and support all the ’85 scholarships that you can. You would be proud to see all the cadets’ ’85 sponsors, and why not give to support 185 years of giving?

Thank you to Gen. Wins for donating to the Class of 1985 Memorial Scholarship fund through his discretionary class fund upon his departure. Lastly, Kyle Winter’s son, Jonathan Winter ’27, continues his cadetship after completing a successful summer session heading into his 2nd Class year and continues to progress and mature. I get to spend time with him and his friends, and Kyle would be proud to see how Jonathan is doing. He has contracted with the U.S. Army, and if you get to Lexington for a visit, look him up. He’s a great kid.

Stay well and congratulations to all you retirees. If you need advice about how to do it well, just reach out for Greenie! He has retirement down and is thriving!

If you make it to Lexington, let me know; I am there most of the time.

RVM, Bill Wieners

1986

Clint Hubbard

Gentlemen!

Well, here it is mid-August and time for another submission to the Alumni Review. The news is a bit slim this quarter, so this won’t take long. You may be able to finish this on the way back in from the mailbox.

From Africa, Michael Laban checked in via Facebook Messenger.

Dave Miller was in Johannesburg and Victoria Falls and tried to connect with BR Laban, but as BR Laban says, Victoria Falls is 800 km away from him, and the bulk of that road is a 50 kph road! So, BR or no BR, a 16-hour drive kept them apart.

Michael says he was hit by a car end of March, and while he is fine with no broken bones, just sore, his motorbike is broken and needs to be fixed. Michael is considering three new jobs at the moment (will likely have settled into one by the

time you read this): A plastic recycling project, a historical research position, and a housesitting gig.

To illustrate the stark difference between his world and most of ours, BR Laban says he is also trying to put together a solar “concept” as a more affordable entry-level solution for blocks of flats, shopping centers, and other “groups” to get daytime power and diminish the problems of power cuts for 8–12 hours a day. I don’t know about you, but I like it when I switch on my lights and they come on!

BR Laban finished with another great quote: “And I have still only been to jail three times since 2002! Ain’t I a good boy?” Thanks for a great update, Michael, and keep the faith!

After our last edition and the blurb about George Sheild being up to no good, we have two pics to confirm it. One is a pic at a PGA event in Charlotte with Stew Barnes, and the other is a roadhouse picture with two of the favorite sons of Hampton, Virginia—BR Sheild and Brett Hayes. It occurs to me that someone should have called security for either or both of these pictures. At the least, we have a bead on George and have multiple people keeping an eye on him. Although we could probably use some chaperones for the chaperones. As Dave Grimm might say, “I’m just sayin’ ...”

The social event of the summer—well, one of them anyway—was the wedding of Turner and Josephine Moody, son of BR and Mrs. Jon Moody. They were married at a wedding venue location near Lexington/Buena Vista. Actually, it was a small wedding event—Chris Ashworth, Stewart Barnes, and your dedicated class agent represented the BR contingent. It was a lovely outdoor ceremony followed by an awesome-incredible-king-daddy-monster-chow. Then we all retired to our respective hotels for a good night’s sleep. The next morning, we rallied again for BRC at a local diner and were joined by Todd “Townie” McCullough We’re all doing our best to keep that COVID-19 weight on!

BR Ashworth came back to the Richmond area for a visit with his parents and was able to participate in a taco Tuesday event with his BRs at Casa del Barco for some tacos, cervezas, some quibbling, and half-truths. There was a picture, but it cannot be produced as of press time. I’m sure it included the regular crowd: Gordon Poindexter, Wayne Fuller, Paul Burch, Jon Moody, John Stevens, Bob Rainer, and maybe even Pancham, Woolwine, Morgan, etc.

On Wednesday evening, May 21, 2025, I’m sitting at home watching the “Andy Griffith Show” and eating some banana pudding when a text rolls in from one, each, Aycock, J.E. Jon and Marc Moquin were at the AC/DC concert in Nashville. I texted back that I remembered BR Moquin playing the air guitar to “Highway to Hell” back in the day, and Moke responded, “I’ll be bringing it here in a minute, Clint!” I swear it made me laugh out loud. I’m sure those old dogs had a good time barking at the moon.

Several days later, there was another VMI ’86 contingent at the AC/DC concert in Washington, D.C., including Jamie Inman and Pat Farrell. BR Inman says they drove home afterward, and he went to work the next day. That right there tells you they don’t drink like they used to!

Well, he did it! I know, you’re all thinking, “Well, that’s no surprise; I’m sure he did it!” Followed by a, “Wait a minute, who did what?” It’s not what you think, but John Hart hung up his robe—his judicial one. Judge Hart retired from the Rockingham County General District Court and moved to the beach. His retirement ceremony was a very nice affair with a large contingent of local dignitaries. Also in attendance were a contingent of BRs, including Kurt Hedberg, Clint Hubbard, Dave Miller, Dave Spears, John Stevens, and Scott Wagner. John recognized his BRs in his remarks and asked us to stand and be recognized; the Class of ’86 was heard from this day. All of the speakers had wonderful things to say about our BR Hart. After hearing gushing accolades from multiple speakers, BR Wagner leaned over to me and whispered, “There must be two John Harts!” Just kidding, our boy made us proud by how well he is regarded by his community in Harrisonburg.

Now empty nesters, John and Karen have moved to Virginia Beach, and John has started another law practice with a firm down there.

After the ceremony, we all went to SRC at a local Italian restaurant and strapped on the feedbag. I’m happy to report that BR Hedberg can use the proper utensil at the proper time, and he kept us laughing with Roy Woolwine/Ronnie Mays stories.

It sure was great to see Dave Spears! He is retired, doing volunteer work, still skydiving, and living at Amelia Island, Florida. He looks great and thoroughly enjoyed his trip to Virginia seeing his BRs, as well as some family members who live in Central Virginia.

If you look nearby, you will see a picture of Jon Moody and Gordon White on their sailing excursion from Florida to Virginia. BR Moody says having BR White along as insulation against the real pirates was just the ticket, as they made the voyage with no interference in international waters whatsoever.

Just under the wire at press time, word came that the VMI Board of Visitors selected Lt. Gen. Dave Furness ’87 as our next superintendent. I’m sure we all wish Gen. Furness great success in his new role. He’s a very good man who holds a special place in our hearts, as his first official duty as first captain for 1987 back in the day was to read off the greatest General Order in the history of the Institute: “The Class of 1986 is hereby released from duty.” Godspeed, Gen. Furness, and God bless the Institute.

Well, that’s a wrap for this edition. Keep in touch with one another to keep those bonds tight. Pick up the phone and check in with a BR you haven’t talked to in a while. Best wishes to you and your families for the coming holidays and new year.

Take care, brother rats.

Class Notes

1987

BillMcCarthy

The list of 60-year-olds just keeps growing. I have had a fun time reminding people I am still 59! Fun fact, I turned 18 on the first full day of matriculation. My brother rats in Alpha Company should be thankful I kept that little secret away from the cadre. It would have been a long hot day of 18 pushup intervals to support their BR, who could barely do one set of 18 pushups.

I had a nice long chat with brother rat of the year, Tommy Peer. He was kind enough to remind me that reunion planning is not that far away. Tommy is still in the logistics world in Eastern North Carolina. He said his roomies, Jay Pennington and Craig Walker, both reached out prior to my call. He is planning on attending a football game in the fall, so I will try to coordinate if possible.

Caught up with an oldie but a goodie: Former double agent of Band Company, Jonathan Wainwright. Jon lives in Richmond and is currently working for the Virginia Department of Corrections as a counselor. He has multiple roles within the state, as well a stint in real estate. It was great to catch up with him. I believe we both failed out of Nichols Hall around the same time.

Ken Devero has taken the RV off the road and has settled into North Myrtle Beach. He wanted a semi-permanent place to lay his head. He downgraded from a mobile home on wheels to a tow-behind for shorter trips. He also went fancy pants and joined a country club, so drinks are on his account next time I visit. Ken gets together with Drew Campi and Bob Buxton, who also live in the Grand Strand area.

Todd Willamson; my former roomie, Steve “Bull” Wilson; and I played some golf up at Wintergreen. Todd and I are up on the mountain fairly frequently, and Steve just lives 10 miles away in Waynesboro. Reynolds Renshaw always shoots me a text as he takes off from the glider airport and buzzes the golf course. Reynolds has a place in Afton and rides his glider out of Rockfish Valley airstrip.

I was happy to hit a milestone of my class agent career June 13. I was able to bring another BR back into the family. My goal has been and always will be to make some contact with all of the brother rats who broke out with us. Happily, it is a challenge I relish. My first achievement was snagging John Ficarro for a 30-minute phone conversation.

John admitted he stays in touch with Grey Wooten and Gerry Tertychny, but he broke my heart when he said has not looked at the class notes in while. I hope that changes, as this is my second full-time job and I want everyone to get on board the love train.

Without acknowledging Ficarro’s lack of social media presence or his inability to take phone calls between 9-5, I think most of you know what he has been up to lately on the QT. Hint. Keeping the bad guys out. He is fully on board for the reunion, and I am happy to take him off my list of people to reengage.

To be clear, my role as Fatdog the bounty hunter is strictly a game between me and myself, but I think I am down to 10 or so BRs. At the last Jay Nagle gathering last year (Naglepaloosa), we all went through the Bomb looking for disengaged orphans, and I set my target. Any help would be appreciated. The short list to reengage would be Greg Ellis, John Chicoli, Will Blanton, Eddie Dandar, Felix McCain, Mitch Ward, Tom “Snapper” Brooks, Ron Carr, Mike Cowan, Manny Melendez, and Dan Butler

I bagged my second target by reconnecting with rugby legend Dan Butler! Dan graduated our 2nd Class year along with Steve Wilson but was an integral part of our Rat Line and class. He has zero social media exposure, but his wife does. I messaged her to pass my phone along, and he called! Dan lives outside of D.C. in Westminster, Maryland, and has worked as a quality engineer across multiple divisions of GE and Textron. His bride is originally from Australia and teaches in the area. Many people forget Dan was often out of town because he played rugby for the U.S. National Squad (Eagles) while getting an engineering degree to boot.

Chip Hancock and I had a long talk. Chip is living down in pilot town, also known as Peachtree City, Georgia. Chip has been flying for Southwest Air and also serves as a pilots union representative. He spends a good bit of time on Capitol Hill on behalf of the union. He does stay in touch with his fellow Air Force pilots and now commercial pilots, Mike Upton, Bill Trammell, and others.

Sweet Lou Buonpane is still living in Raleigh and working in city government. His current role is city clerk, which looks like he is third in command of the entire city. He said he talks to many of the Delta rats in Richmond.

I assume there will be a longer write-up regarding the retirement ceremony for Lt. Gen. James “Chip” Bierman June 16. Despite some unplanned weather, Chip was surrounded by his family, friends, brother rats, and the entire senior leadership of the USMC. I was quick to invite

myself yet again to participate and document the ceremony. As someone who did not serve, I am always impressed by those who do and the bond between you. Brother rats traveled far and wide to make it into town for the big event at the Marine Corps barracks at 8th and I in the District of Columbia.

First and foremost, it was a rare off-cycle reunion of the ’87 Executive Committee. Neal Naff, class president; Jay Pennington, vice president; and Ernie Edgar, class historian, were in attendance. Your regimental commander, Dave Furness, flew in from Tampa and was kind enough to pick up the tab at the Officers Club pre-game. Florida residents Adrian Garcia and Mike Maxwell rolled up from Florida for the event. Gerry Tertychyny drove up and crashed with Bill Berneski before both joined us on post. Dean Barr descended from Pennsylvania to give us the additional Marine Corps presence. Michael Evans, who was raised alongside Chip when they were young, came with his mother. Mike’s mother and Chip’s mom were friends on the same base when their fathers were deployed. Bill Seifrith lives up in the D.C. area, and it was great to see him. I have reached out to Bill a few times over the years, and he has always been a big help. Matt Howard and Doug Flynn live in the area, and it was great to see them in person.

Party Jack Avis turned 60 this year. Jack is still the unelected mayor of the Star City of the South. As with Todd Arris, he has fully engaged in Masters Swimming and puts in a few miles every morning before work. His daughter is keeping him young and fit.

Part of the fun of the agent role is to track down BRs we have not heard from in a while. I was lucky to catch Bill Trammell while stuck on a layover at Phoenix Airport. Bill did time at Naval Air Station Jacksonville and met his wife during that time. When he got out, he jumped to United Airlines and

has lived in Jacksonville ever since. He stays in touch with the other pilots (Upton, Hancock, etc.) but plans to participate in more events as we get closer to reunion.

I had a great conversation with Rob Goodwin. Sadly, his mother had recently passed away, so I was sharing my/our condolences to the family. Rob and the Goodwin family were so generous to many of us as rats and throughout our cadetship. The Roanoke crowd took a lot of BRs home for the weekend or invited us to their tailgates. I hope to get Rob to Richmond to play some golf here soon. I got to speak with his brother-in-law, Dennis Butts. Dennis and Rob’s sister, Leann, are enjoying the retired life between Roanoke and Smith Mountain Lake.

Ran into Tim Chester and his family at a local Wawa one day. Tim is still teaching at his alma mater, Benedictine School, and trying to get his kids out of the house. He still has kids in high school to keep him young.

One of the benefits of living in a five-man room is I have a lot of roommates to share updates. Rick Heine turned 61 this year and is also celebrating his 36th (?) wedding anniversary to his sweetheart, Gaynor. Blessed to have known them both for a very long time and wish we spent more time together. Eventually, we will start to retire and do things together as we did in the past. Rick said he lives about 20 minutes from Carl Hardee, and they have plans to get together every so often. Carl and his wife love the RV life, and when he retires, I expect he will be hitting the road again.

Speaking of RVs, Kevin Barker and I played tag on his birthday. Time zones make it difficult sometimes because I like to get the birthday phone calls out for breakfast, but I have to be aware the time change. As much as you guys love the call, 0500 is not satisfactory for most people.

Howell Taylor and I had a great

conversation recently. Howell (I always thought it was Hal) has spent a long and industrious career in the global construction arena, from embassies abroad to data centers in the States. He and I used to frequent the same gym a few years back, but I changed jobs and seem to never work out anymore.

My favorite neurosurgeon and class president (Dr. Neal Naff) was kind enough to pick up my call between surgeries at Johns Hopkins. Words cannot describe how blessed I am to know a person of such humility and kindness. He always picks up the phone and always thanks me for what I do for the class and offers to help in any way he can. I worked in medical sales for 10 years and rarely came across a physician who gave back more to the community than from which they took. Neal, Bill Seiferth, and others will be assembling in Annapolis for the memorial opener against the U.S. Naval Academy.

Late hitting news hot off the presses! Bob and Tracey Phillips just moved to Waynesboro to be closer to the family. They spent quite some time living the RV life, and now the Shenandoah Valley is their home. I hope to have them up to Wintergreen soon.

From Ralph “Rock” Hudson: “Just a quick note for the Alumni Review to let you know that our son, Stephen, got married to his high school sweetheart, Kaitlyn, this summer after 11 years together. The ceremony was at a beautiful venue in the mountains of North Carolina, then the newlyweds honeymooned in Alaska.”

This may be obvious to some, but given our advanced age, we have so many new grandparents and weddings it is hard for me to give proper recognition in a limited amount of space. Please accept the fact as our class representative that the entire Class of 1987 wishes you and your families the best of health for the newborn, the infirmed, and the elderly. For those who have lost family members, we share your grief and are there for you if you need us.

In the Spirit,

Bill McCarthy

1988

John Keppeler

Brother Rats,

Greetings. I hope everyone is staying healthy and had an enjoyable summer! I am writing this

in mid-August, which means you should get this in mid-November.

My lovely bride, Carolyn, says I shouldn’t start these things off on a somber note, but I would rather end on a positive note than a somber note. Anyway, I think most of you saw my email June 4, 2025, informing you that our BR Mike Seyffert lost his battle with pancreatic cancer May 19, 2025. Please see the Taps posting toward the end of this Alumni Review. Mike’s wife, Adrienne, hosted a celebration of life ceremony June 29, 2025, at their house in Bellevue, Washington. Thankfully, our BR Tom Ustach traveled from his home in Portland, Oregon, to attend and represent the class. Thanks, Tom! I also sent flowers on behalf of the class. By all accounts, the event went well, and Mike’s life was properly honored. Adrienne and their children apparently didn’t know much about Mike’s time at VMI and continue to ask for stories about his cadetship. If you would like to share some stories with her, please let me know, and I will share her contact info with you. On June 27, 2025, we had our Northern Virginia lunch at the ResQ Bar-B-Que in Leesburg, Virginia. However, before lunch, we met at the Dodona Manor (Gen. George Marshall’s [’901] house) just a few blocks away for a short docent-led tour and discussion of one of our most distinguished graduates. A big thank you to Ed Wetherell for setting up the Dodona Manor tour! This was the first time we had lunch in Leesburg, which is a little out of the way, but I think the tour made it worthwhile, and it was fairly well attended, including Drew McKone, Sam Tate, Kirk Dewyea, Ed Wetherell, Rich Stone, Tom Kennedy, Derek McFarland, Jim Florio, and John Keppeler. A good bit of the lunch was taken up talking about the Thailand trip, which I thought was summarized quite well in the below email from our beloved class president, Adam Volant: “In June, 16 of our brother rats, many with spouses and some with children, traveled to Bangkok, Thailand, to celebrate the retirement of Songwit Noonpackdee, who currently serves as the Chief of Defence Forces. Kultawat Vaijai serves as the senior military advisor to the joint chief of staff, and both have risen to four-star rank—a notable achievement and one that is unmatched by any other class in VMI history! This adventure was rooted in conversations and persuasion from Mike McGraw, who lived and worked in Thailand for some years and met with our two BRs to propose a larger gathering and invitation. In total, more than 30 people joined together in the days-long celebrations, activities with a level of hospitality and warmth that created an experience of a lifetime.

“Songwit and his staff put together a robust

schedule of activities that included a Thailand alumni meeting in Bangkok, tours of the temples, evening markets, special dinners together, and then a 3-day excursion to Hua Hin, a waterside resort town located about 90 minutes from the capital in the Gulf of Thailand. Aside from the privilege of time together retelling stories, mostly without exaggeration, the group spent time visiting evening markets, touring notable sites, and even spent time at a favorite water park. The tours planned included travel by vans, and the trip south put everyone in a chartered bus. With complex traffic and a group of this size, traffic police and escorts were needed and very helpful.

“On the first night of the planned activities, alumni from Thailand were invited to join us for a very special dinner and official celebration of Songwit’s service. The dinner was held at a large ballroom with a view of the Temple of Dawn across the river. Brother rats had planned to present gifts to both brother rats and their spouses. As a group, two U.S. flags flown at VMI on New Market Day (and 37th anniversary of our graduation!) were presented with signed certificates from the commandant and Corps sergeant major. Two bracelets made from cadet buttons were presented to our BRs’ wives. Two framed prints were also given from the class, each with VMI images to hang in their office or home. Lastly, a book of letters was presented, a collection of letters from the VMI superintendent, director of VMI Museums, general officers from several classes, letters from the brother rats in attendance, our class agent, and even a letter from Col. Dave Harbach ’61. Each of the letters offered their respect and appreciation for Songwit’s service and shared encouragement and well wishes for his retirement. Col. Harbach remarked that he never saw Noonpackdee in his office

while serving as commandant; clearly, someone stuck to the books! Group photos, lively conversation, entertainment from the Army band, and even karaoke made the evening fun. Joining our dinner was General Surapong Suwana-Adth ’79, who offered his appreciation in comments to the group and best wishes to our brother rat. The VMI connection with Thailand has been extremely strong for more than 60 years, and he commented that several have risen to flag rank and a select few have served as the Chief of Defence.”

Attending the Thailand trip were Mark Arboneaux; Mike and Kookkai Beyer and their son, Jackson; John and Carter Bordelon and their sons, Andrew and Cole; Bill and Kati Cronenberg; John Gillespie; Guy and Sarah Gormley; Mike McGraw and his niece, Jytte Hvlid; Jim and Paulette Mumma; Bill and Kyla Reagan; Tom and Tracey Reimann and their son, Andrew; John Scarpino and Jill Perretta; Chris Starling and Siobhan McNamara; Richard Stone; Tommy Towers and Kim Edmonson and their daughter, Isra Simon; Jim and Kim Tuemler; Adam and Terry Volant and their son, Devin; and Ed and Sheila Wetherell. I received a text from Bobby Gardner, who reports guarded success with his cancer treatment. He said that most of the cancer has been diminished or is gone! For what remains, he starts radiation Aug. 25, 2025. Although his spirits are high, I urge you to keep him in your prayers and reach out to him if you feel inclined. I also received the following update and pic from Jim Florio: “I was able to travel to Boston to bring my daughter, Eva, for the Summer Orchestra Institute at the New England Conservatory. My wife, Leigh, and daughter, Anna (who had just returned from her studies at university in London), were with us, as well. My son,

Class of 1988: Pictured in Bangkok, Thailand, June 6, 2025, are (back row from left) Jim Mumma, Paulette Mumma, Devin Volant, John Scarpino, Jill Perratta, Ed Wetherell, Bill Cronenberg, John Bordelon, Mark Arboneaux, Chris Starling, Mike McGraw, Tommy Towers, John Gillespie, (middle row) Kim Tuemler, Terry Volant, Sheila Wetherell, Kati Cronenberg, Kyla Reagan, Bill Reagan, Rich Stone, Mike Beyer, Guy Gormley, Sarah Gormley, Siobhan McNamara, Kim Edmonson, Isra Simon, (front row) Jim Tuemler, Tom Reimann, Andrew Reimann, Tracey Reimann, Kookkai Beyer, and Jackson Beyer.

to announce that I have a reserved parking spot, as I was voted to receive the Christ the Teacher Award (teacher of the year award, it’s a Catholic school).”

Well, I think that’s about it for this Review. Again, I hope everyone is doing well. Please stay in touch and keep those updates coming. I can be reached at 540-429-9041 or john.keppeler@ gmail.com.

RVM and Semper Fi! Rock

Class of 1988: Bill Burns (left) with Jim and Anna Florio at Rock Bottom Brewery in Boston, Massachusetts, July 6, 2025. 1989

David A. Martin

Chris, was unable to attend due to work, and my eldest daughter, Maria, was still in Madrid, Spain, teaching English. While in Boston, I was able to catch up with Bill Burns at the Rock Bottom Brewery. At the time of the photo, Leigh and Eva had returned to the hotel, but Anna stayed to enjoy some beverages and engage in our exciting conversations. Bill is well, and he reports that his mom is, too. (She is 102 years old!) “My family is also fine (albeit spread out over two continents). We are actually back in Boston this weekend to pick Eva up, having completed the summer program. This time, Maria is with us, as well, having returned from Spain. My sister and nephew will join us, as well, for the final concert. I will try to send another photo of us all. Unfortunately, Chris again stayed home due to work commitments. Anna will be returning to London in a couple weeks to complete her master’s dissertation. I will be returning to teaching in a few weeks (my eighth year, since retirement from the gov.). This year, I am proud

These notes cover the period mid-May through Aug. 7, 2025. We begin with very sad news. Michael Allen Ratliff died Sunday, July 26. “Big Al” played football and was a Rod and Gun Club guy, after graduation serving in the Air Force (see the obituary elsewhere in the Review). Everyone admired him. In fact, the outpouring of support on the ’89 Facebook page was tremendous, the “Big Man” now holding the record for the most comments ever. BRs recalled spending many, many hours with him in NEB, noting Al was the “nicest guy in the world” or recalling other fond memories with this “Gentle Giant.” His wife, Becky, joined our page a few days after the funeral services in Abingdon, Virginia, and I activated our ONE989! Memorial Flower Fund protocols, posting on the funeral home Ratliff website and sending an

$89.89 donation to the Ratliff’s charity of choice on behalf of “Al’s Brother Rats of the Virginia Military Institute Class of 1989.” Thanks to the BRs who donated to our MFF in honor of BR Ratliff T.J. Williams attended the funeral, providing this update: “The place was packed— standing room and even side rooms had people. Lot of friends, coworkers. He had a huge, positive effect on a lot of people; very well-liked, respected, and loved. I told Becky there were several BRs in the past couple days remembering Allen, and we all thought he was a funny dude and fond memories. She said he thought he was funny.” Kudos for attending, T.J., and getting a laugh out of Becky when she may have needed it. Becky, if you are reading this, we hope you will stay engaged with ’89. We never forget our fallen BRs!

Moving on, and speaking of kudos, if you live in Northern Virginia, you may have heard the beep-beep-beep of the moving truck backing up into John Piedmont’s antebellum mansion’s treelined driveway. The truck delivered a motherlode of laurels in recognition of J.P.’s stellar service as guest scribe last quarter. J.P. seamlessly filled the void while I inanely and ineptly destroyed my feet walking almost 500 miles on a 34-day pilgrimage in Portugal and Spain. Marines have a way with words, and reports are that J.P., USMC, retired, hit it out of the park, setting the highest standard for other would-be guest scribe contenders to the throne. If you would like a shot at the title, overuse idioms, mix metaphors, rely on cliches, use 100 words when 25 will do, are fond of figures of speech, and truly enjoy writing for a family publication, by all means apply for the coveted mantle of guest scribe! All BRs, regardless of academic major, option, and GPA, are encouraged to apply. In fact, the more demerits, the closer to 2.0 GPA, the more time away from Scott Shipp Hall, the better your chances of making the cut! In the wake of J.P.’s prime cut, a record number of you wrote in this quarter, and we are at max capacity for pictures for the first time ever! If your photo does not appear in this edition, we will use what I call the “IRA-option” and roll it over until next quarter. In fact, by the time you read this, the VMI football season will be in full swing, if not over, but the impending season is drawing more attention than news back in the day that the ABC man will make a guest appearance at Estelle’s. No one probably feels more stress over the eyeopener at Navy than Mike Crotty. “Very busy spring and start to summer. Felt like a sweat party ... knew it was coming, tried to prepare, was over in a flash. My son, Jack, graduated USNA in May. A week worth of full schedule; supe’s cocktail party, ball, family events, and the big kahuna—

graduation. Beginning of June, he and I went to Portugal for 8 days— no plans, no reservations, just some ideas. Great trip. Then back to U.S. for wife to have knee surgery right before hauling Jack’s carcass down to Pensacola for aviation. Twenty hours of delight while I drove, and his head did the funky chicken like he was in ‘Doctor Sominex’s’ calc class. Dropped him to fly back for daughter’s birthday.” Congrats to your son, Mike. That is good parenting there. Mike said he was attending VMI versus Navy, and we wonder if he would sit on the 50-yard line or change sides like POTUS at Army/Navy.

I’m not dropping the Mike: Mike Karns, his body of work securing our southern border secured in the pantheon of DHS history, smug and secure in his retirement from the Border Patrol, secured a few choice tickets on a trip to the Med. Mike and his wife, Martha, celebrated their 34th anniversary with two of their sons in the Greek Isles (photo IRA-optioned ‘til next issue). Mike noted that retirement timing is everything; many of his peers in the border patrol down in Texas, having nothing else to do these days, were diverted to help with the floods. Mike also participated in the bimonthly virtual happy hour—VH2.

What’s VH2, you ask? No, it is not a music video channel where video killed the radio star. Rather, VH2 is an exciting new ONE-989! initiative where we gather online and shoot the Sierra for an hour. See the email notices in (duh) your email or on our Facebook page. Ed Rodriguez, providing VH2 tech support faster than throwing for second helpings on Chinese beef and pepper night in Crozet, regaled VH2 attendees with such fond recollections of our cadetship: How could we have forgotten the plague, “Light the Tree!”, burning of woolies, and many other assorted memories not suitable for publication? Eddie, burning up in Atlanta since ’98, (with Mike Karns likewise noting it was 89—yes, 89—degrees in Del Rio, Texas) said his brother works with Brian Duffy in Alaska. James Black suggested future VH2s use PowerPoint for the PowerPoint-qualified Rangers in the class. Hoooah! He may have been drinking a draft. Speaking of draft, Tom Hernandez is in a transitional phase from Stuarts Draft, Virginia, to

24450. Quinn Donovan also attended the VH2, and we are fairly sure our class vintner and sommelier sipped a vino (more on that in a minute). A veritable plethora of BRs’ names came up at the VH2 (too many to mention here), but for some

strange reason, I wrote down that Keith Sykes and Al Versoza attended a Washington Nats game. The cigar smoke barely dissipated from the smoking area at our luxurious 35th Reunion hotel. Al Versoza subsequently wrote in that he and John Corley often link up for a Churchill on the outskirts of Fort Bragg to flash the V for victory sign at low-flying C-130s. Like the VH2, it’s an almost bimonthly great smoke out. Or, for you math majors, would that be sextuple times a year? Airborne!

Quinn Donovan remains prolific in his support to ’89: The “Mad Dog” of the mid-Sonoma Valley knows his way around a vineyard. In fact, looking back on it with 20/20 hindsight, we are pleased to report a successful beta-test tasting of the first virtual pairing! Quinn and his wife, Tracy, recently hosted a virtual wine and food pairing, with Ruth and Jim Masella hosting the live 24450 crowd. Quinn, displaying better leadership than Napoleon during a civil disorder, introduced a whiff of grapeshot to go with each food, noting how a particular food brings out the best taste in a particular wine. Like a thunderbird rising above the fruited plain, Quinn shared his expertise, exceeding the expectations of even the most discerning 89-vintage connoisseur. With Tom and Therin Hernandez, Gary and Marty Bissell, Paul and Julie Mele, Pete and Dawn Lampman, Doc and Steffi Martin as the guinea pigs, and Kent Doane working security, Quinn set the bar high. Look for another virtual pairing to break up the Dark Ages and winter blues in early 2026.

While many of us feasted, there was also self-imposed famine. Ned Cox, for the fifth year (Ned, a 5-year man?), again accepted the Live Below the Line Food Challenge. For 5 days, Ned and his sons, Carr and Hatcher, lived on $2.15/day to help raise money for Feed More, the Central Virginia Food Bank, while raising awareness about hunger in general. It’s worth noting that Hatcher is 17 years old! This is a great cause. Thanks for letting us know, Ned, and the class donated $89 from the MFF to the food bank on your behalf. One thing I can tell you is we got to be free. To give. ONE-989! is coming together. Right now! It’s also about coming together with BRs we have

not seen in a while. Steve Boyd recently chatted with Kevin Wood, who is up in the Motor City working for GM. Steve said he hadn’t spoken to his co-dyke in a while (note: I’ve been class agent since Gangnam Style came out, can’t recall much from Kevin, so this is great!) but talked with the Motor City Madman for almost an hour and a half. Steve also mentioned Bill Miller moved again, back to Virginia; Steve gets around, as well, and played in a Virginia Beach tournament with Whiting Chisman ’92

Ned Cox mentioned the monthly breakfasts are still a thing. (A picture might be nice, hint!) I have been to one, and it was the best breakfast under $10 this side of the Rappahannock. Especially because Mitch Fridley picked up the check. Or was it Bob Bradford? Or my rat roomie, Allan Stoneman? My memory is as dark and hazy as the coffee.

Anyhow, not to be outdone, the Alexandria/ Pentagon-based crowd upped the ante and met for dinner recently. Joe Grealish wrote that he, Ed Herrington, Bill Bersing, Al Versoza, and their wives all met for a nice dinner in Alexandria. Likewise picking up the check is Chris Ogden, getting ready to pay for his son’s rehearsal dinner and bachelor party as his son, Patrick, gets married in 2026.

There are things that are known. There are things that are unknown. And in between there are doors. Thus, in accordance with our new open-door strategy in ONE-989!, we have tried to be more inclusive with the wives’ network. Be careful what you wish for. We may have created a monster with the ’89 Spider Spouses Facebook page—89 SS. With almost 40 members, it is unknown what they are saying about us. Full disclosure, I tried to join the 89 SS under a female nom de guerre with a first name of Ophelia, and they snuffed me out faster than ol’ Basil completing your rat haircut. Seriously, though, it is really swell to see wives including themselves and doing their own thing ... I think. Whole damn team! ONE-989!

The good idea fairy has been active this quarter. From VH2 and virtual pairings to 89 SS on Facebook and our YouTube channel, the Class of ’89 leads the pack and is the NASA of VMI alumni innovation—other classes do not even come close. I am pleased to announce another exciting initiative and quarterly feature called unsung heroes. Unsung heroes are BRs or friends of the class who went above and beyond this quarter, epitomizing the spirit of ONE-989!, offering encouragement or helping ’89 (or the management thereof) in some silent but meaningful way. They know what they did! Dan McClintock, Quinn Donovan, Brooklyn Shehan of the VMI Alumni Agencies, Mary Price of the VMI Alumni Agencies (for breaking in a new guy), Col. E.H. Taylor, and Patti Harris (Derek’s wife), Andy Tunnard, Jon Gruden, Rocky Patel, John and Sharon Osborne, T.J. Williams. Go, Big Red! ONE-989!

Company and later roomed with Mike Manning Mike had a 28-plus-year career as a full-timer with the Virginia Army National Guard, where he ultimately retired as a colonel and chief of logistics for the Virginia Guard. He deployed to Bosnia and Iraq during his career and spent most of his career at Fort Pickett. In his spare time, Mike was a huge mountain hiker who successfully climbed the highest peak in 42 of 50 states. Mike left behind his wife, Sue, and sons, Patrick and Kevin. He was laid to rest near Huntsville, Alabama, Aug. 7. Many thanks to all those who shared memories of Mike and kept us informed during this time.

As I write this, the year is about to kick off with matriculation, football season, fall sports, cadre, and the start of classes right around the corner. Also, by the time you are reading this, our 35th Reunion will be behind us. Can’t tell you how excited I am and how much all of us locals are looking forward to having hundreds of BRs back on post for such a special event.

Over the summer, I’ve seen and heard from a number of our BRs. One of the first was Steve Yarborough, who reached out with a question about used barracks windows: “Over the last 3 years, I have been working on restoring a historic 1872 family home on the coast of Georgia. Property has a barn, and we are adding another outbuilding we will be framing in the fall. All is good with my family and work. Coming up on 35 years with Truist in Atlanta. I still see BRs Quill Healey and Andy Sewell often. Always looking for updates on roommates from Room 150. John Golden, Sewell, and I stay in touch, but no one has heard much about Glenn Barr or Paul Valenzuela in years.” I’ve also had updates from George Palomar, who recently got together with our BR Maj. Gen. Chin Yuan Liu up in D.C. Both were looking not a day older and very dapper.

Daren Payne

Greetings, Esteemed Brother Rats, I have to start this off with the sad news of the passing of our Brother Rat Mike Swanson following an extended battle with cancer. Mike was rat roommates with Andy England in Hotel

At the start of the reporting period, Paul Tallet-Kelpsa was in town, and we got to do some trout fishing. Didn’t catch as many as I would have liked, but Paul did manage to catch one of the more elusive tiger trout in the South River to check more species off the bucket list. Steve Vasquez also came to town in June and stopped in to spend the weekend. Steve is now living back in Prince George after being located in Florida for many years and can still fit in his coatee and white ducks. Jim Dufford was also visiting Lexington, but unfortunately, I was out of town and missed him, much to my disappointment.

In town during the Fourth of July weekend to do a recon for our class reunion House Mountain hike was Dave Kaulfers, who enlisted John and Sarah Burleson to join him on the 2,000-foot climb to the top. Dave has an awesome video of their

trek on YouTube if you’d like to watch. Hal Jones also passed along a great write-up that highlighted Dave’s recent retirement from VDOT after a career of nearly 30 years—of course, Hal is still hard at work.

All three of my roommates checked in with Rich Mehl, Dave Ratliff, and Sean Hoover—all planning to be at the reunion in October. Ratliff called to let me know about Mike Kemp’s annual rat send-off in Roanoke, which has now become legendary. Among this year’s attendees were Barry Johnson, Ratliff, Kelly Bledsoe, Kemp, and Lee Havird. Dave also let me know that Hoover may have retired from the ATF recently after a 25-plusyear career there.

I also ran into Chin Vu down at the state capital, where he was escorting a group of contractors around the Patrick Henry Building as part of his job being in charge of all construction for the Department of General Services. Also from Echo Company, I heard from Chris Dixon, who checked in asking about reunion information, and Matt Hemenez, who is assisting with the Alumni Advisory Board for the new Moody Hall project.

Chuck Ellis reached out to me and is still doing well in Stafford, working on getting the last kid out of high school and staying active with Donnie Roberts’ Caracal projects. Chuck is on the board of the Caracal Foundation, along with BRs Tony Baker and the recently added Chip McWilliams. Chuck also let me know he was attending the promotion ceremony for Maj. Gen. Bill Bowers to lieutenant general in the USMC at Marine Headquarters in D.C. Big congratulations to Lt. Gen. Bowers, and thanks for your service, sir! Speaking of Bowers, I also saw that Don Bowers was instrumental in hosting the annual rat send-off in Harrisonburg this past summer.

In employment news, Tim Bosetti recently accepted a new executive position with Kimley Horn in Lakeland, Florida, doing environmental work. After 12 years, Rob Gudz has left ECS engineering firm and is on the lookout for his next adventure. Congratulations should be in order for Sam Stocks, former VMI Alumni Association president, for his 25th anniversary at KBS construction company. Chris Whittaker recently accepted a new position as city manager for the city of Magnolia, Texas.

I’ve heard from so many folks checking about the reunion and various other things over the course of this reporting period that I’m afraid of leaving someone out. Jay Whittington checked in from Tappahannock, and I also heard from Pete Finan, Luis Del Valle, Dave McGraw, Jeff Kaster, Jamie Setze, A.J. Johnson (who, for the first time in a decade or more, does not have a son

Class Notes

at VMI), Kelly Musick, and Ramil Ibanez (who does have a son at VMI still). Of course, as usual, Mullori and Lanzillotta checked in to update me on their travels and harass me. J.P. did let me know he was able to catch up with Matt Hemenez and Karl Powers in Alaska and Brian Albro in Seattle during his travels on the West Coast. I also heard from Bob Butler and Hunter Trumbo, who helped me out with our reunion survey, and I also heard back from Bill Gaspar, who was doing some fly fishing on the Rappahannock when last seen.

Locally, I can safely report that Burleson survived the aforementioned House Mountain recon and that Chris Larlee is in fact alive and well, according to Kathy, whom I ran into at the Walmart. I also saw Matt Schwarzmann and heard from Joey Jones recently, and both are doing fine. Of course, I see the commandant, Lee Havird, and our attorney, Pat O’Leary, on a regular basis in the

course of my daily duties. Neil Whitmore recently helped me out with some permit stuff in his position in the planning office in Lexington, which is his day job when he is not busy with the county school board. Ramon Williams called to let me know he is putting a house up for sale located just a couple blocks from Cameron Hall and Foster Stadium, and he and Damon were gearing up for their next Twin Hoops camp in August.

I received a late note from NOLA from BR Jim Hynes: “Quick note to let you know that Kim and I linked up with Sam and Rita Stocks earlier this week while they were in town getting their daughter, Kate, settled in for freshman year at Tulane University. We enjoyed dinner together at Mr. Mao’s on Tchoupitoulas Street. (Roll wave, class of 2029! Go, Kate!) It was great to see Sam again and meet Rita and Kate. We will enjoy many more gatherings with the Stocks family over the next 4 years! Friendly reminder to our BRs: Kim and I are a one beer walk from Tulane’s football and baseball stadiums. We have season tickets. Our door is always open. If you’re in town, look us up for a visit and some local hospitality.”

The other late note I got was from Hal Jones, who sent along a great narrative from Dave Kaulfer’s retirement from VDOT after 30-plus years working for them. Dave will be taking a new position with a private firm while Hal continues to serve the Commonwealth with VDOT.

That’s all the news I have for now; things are going hot and heavy, getting ready for the new school year and our reunion in October. As of this writing, we have 79 BRs registered, and I’m really hoping we can get 200 and top our 25th Reunion total. Thanks to those who’ve been helping me out with various things and for all your support. Until the reunion, take care, enjoy the rest of summer, and look forward to seeing you all in Lexington in October!

Daren

1991

Chuck Story

Chris Edmonston

Another Alumni Review where most of the notes come from scraping social media posts!

Would love to get updates and info from all of you at any time—makes this go easy. I always have enjoyed the Alumni Review and reading class notes, but it’s hard to get the info.

Interesting news from VMI as I write this: We have a new superintendent; good luck to Lt. Gen. Furness ’87. We are also getting ready for the VMI versus Navy football game here in Annapolis. Always a fun time—hopefully the game is a little closer than previous games!

It’s interesting seeing kids going off to college over the past few years; I think most of our kids are out of college by now, but some are still headed off to school, like Chris Wyatt, who recently dropped off his son, Cyrus, to VT. Also saw that Michael Ferrell dropped his son, Max, off at West Point.

One other interesting kid/college post I saw was David Hart’s son, Luke ’25, swearing in his other son, Will, to the Virginia National Guard. Will is going to The Citadel and is presently a knob.

I saw that Todd Thompson and his wife, Jennifer, went to see the “Book of Mormon” for his birthday present. I’d love to see that show!

Lots of fishing going on, saw that Eddie Arnaldo and Brian Snider were both offshore fishing for marlin. Or maybe it was catfish and trout.

We’re sliding into goose and deer season here in Maryland—spent most of the day scouting a hunting lease with Rob Edwards and Chris Isakov. Hopefully we’ll have some good pics coming soon!

1992

William Woodward

BRs,

Here are the latest updates from our classmates; please keep forwarding me information on what is going on in your lives. Your BRs want to know!

For those who did not hear either through email or our class Facebook page, we lost Jerry Allen to cancer July 24, 2025. Ed Davis reported Jerry was surrounded by his family at the time of his passing. By the time you see this, there will have been a celebration of life for Jerry in Richmond Sunday, Oct. 12. Back in April prior to Jerry’s passing, he, Taylor Holt, Jon Manley, Billy Waters, and Jeff Zeigler gathered on the Gulf Coast to attend a music festival, play golf, fish, and eat. Jeff reported a great time was had by all. See enclosed picture of the outing. I am sure Jerry truly appreciated this time with his BRs. A great lesson to us

all to treasure our friends and family, as life is too short, and we never know when one will be taken from us. Please reach out to me if you did not see the obituary I forwarded in the class email or if you would like more information about how you can support Jerry’s wife, Kristen, and their two daughters, Maggie and Julia.

Mike Kirkmire also sent in an update and a picture from July where he linked up with Matt Lough in Laguna Beach, California, where Matt lives. Mike reports that Matt is now a DJ (MATLO on Instagram) and “spins” every couple of weekends. Mike said they had not seen each other since 2019 when they ran into each other at the San Jose airport. They caught up and toasted Jerry Allen well into the evening!

As I mentioned in the last Review, our class scholarship for the 2025–26 academic year will be split between two deserving candidates and sons of BRs, Marshall Taylor ’26, son of Carney, and Austin Stills ’26, Harold’s son. Just before this went to press, I got a wonderful thank you note from Austin, which I am copying below:

“Dear VMI Class of 1992 Alumni,

“Thank you for awarding me the VMI Class of 1992 Scholarship. It was a great honor to find out about the award, but it was an even greater honor to tell my dad (Harold ’92) about your decision. He is so proud of me and proud to be a member of the Class of 1992. I’ve had the opportunity to attend events at VMI almost since I was born and witnessed the great bond that dad has with his BRs and his love for VMI. But I didn’t truly know what it all meant until I matriculated and got the true ‘VMI experience.’ I now know why dad has such a great bond with not only VMI, but with all his BRs. I have also witnessed how you all have rallied around and supported my dad since he had his stroke, and I cannot thank you enough.

“As I go into my 1st Class year, I plan to graduate in May with a degree in psychology and hopefully attend graduate school to continue working toward being a licensed clinical psychologist. Thank you for all of your support during my time here at VMI. I look forward to seeing you all at future VMI events as an alumnus! Rah Virginia Mil! Sincerely, Austin Stills [’26].”

Andy Tate organized a get-together for VMI alumni at the USA Rugby double header at Audi Field in Washington, D.C., July 19. See the enclosed picture which includes BRs Marc Orgain, Keith Franz, Andy, Marc Diehl, Will Current, and Mike Starling. Andy said it was a sufferable hot day, and everyone had a great time. Andy also gathered with Joe McClung, Chris Jones,

and Anhtuan Nguyen for a round of golf at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia, in early August. Anhtuan sent me a picture of the outing, but I busted through my allotted five pictures for this issue, so sadly I could not include it!

We also had a few BRs attend the Delaware Valley Alumni Association rat send-off Aug. 2. See the enclosed picture of those in attendance, including Jason Troxell, Joe McClung, Chris Jones, J.J. Eget, and Bob Burgess

Neil Hennigan sent me an update in which he said he had just retired from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, June 27, 2025, after serving 8 years. Prior to that, he served 12 years in the U.S. Secret Service, giving him 20 years as a federal law enforcement officer. See the Our Alumni Serving section for a picture of he and Mike Starling, who surprised him by attending the ceremony.

I also got an update from Jay Frey, who let me know he recently attended the annual Marine Aviation Association Awards Ceremony, where he was present to award the Unmanned Aerial Systems Officer of the Year Award, which is named after Jay! See the Our Alumni Serving section for a picture of the event. Here is a description of the award: “The Marine Corps Unmanned Aerial Systems Officer of the Year Award is established to recognize a Marine Corps UAS officer whose exceptional performance, leadership, and dedication to the mission reflect the spirit of Colonel James ‘Chewy’ Frey, a pioneer in Marine Corps aviation and unmanned systems. The award honors a Marine whose contributions have made a significant impact on advancing the capabilities, mission success, and operational effectiveness of Marine Corps UAS.

“Colonel James ‘Chewy’ Frey was instrumental in shaping the modern Marine Corps aviation community and played a critical role in pioneering unmanned aircraft systems for the service. Throughout his distinguished career, Colonel Frey demonstrated an unwavering commitment to innovation, leadership, and the integration of advanced technology in support of Marine Corps

missions. His visionary work laid the foundation for today’s UAS operations, ensuring that Marines have the reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition capabilities to succeed in complex environments.

“Colonel Frey’s legacy is one of leadership, ingenuity, and relentless drive to push the boundaries of what Marine Corps aviation could achieve, particularly in the realm of unmanned systems. The Marine Corps UAS Pilot of the Year Award is dedicated to his legacy, aiming to inspire future UAS pilots to follow his example.”

Pat Rohan sent me an update with a picture and a pretty incredible once-in-a-lifetime story. Pat works for the government, and this past spring while overseas in Nepal, he got a helicopter tour over Mount Everest Base Camp courtesy of the Nepali Police Service. Pat said his helicopter got up to 19,000 feet in altitude before descending down to 14,000 feet and landing on a plateau where the NPS had a full brunch spread set up!

Kent Gring also sent in an update in which he said, “After more than 15 years with top-tier consulting firms, including Deloitte, KPMG, and BearingPoint, I founded G Group LLC, an independent management consulting firm delivering solutions across strategy, operations, and technology. In 2025, G Group focused on public sector transformation, AI governance, and international development, serving clients across Southeast Asia and the Middle East. I remain active on the PMI AI Infinity Council, helping shape practical applications of AI in project delivery. Based in Bangkok, Thailand, I continue to build a virtual consulting network, publish thought leadership, and work to support other independents navigating today’s freelance consulting landscape. I welcome opportunities to collaborate with BRs or simply reconnect.”

Finally, I got quick status checks from the following BRs in response to receiving their digital birthday messages or in response to Jerry Allen’s passing: A.J. Bonoldi; Allan Lunsford; Mark Loving; Derrick Lapp; Don Noschese; Rob Fowler; Tim Hoffner; Will Harris; Dan Mazzei; Alan Saunders; and Maj. Gen. Dan Shipley, who

has transferred to Germany and assumed command of Marine Forces in U.S. European Command.

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 Agencies and I know so we can make sure you get all VMI correspondence. In the Bonds, Woody

months, which was wonderful.

“The three of us spent 4 days with BR Matt Eads exploring the historic sites in Normandy. Visiting the graves of the seven VMI alumni buried in the Normandy American Cemetery was the highlight of the trip, and hearing their stories was profoundly moving. John Bolt was an incredible host and provided amazing insights into the history and experiences of those men. As a sign of respect, we left a VMI challenge coin on the grave markers of each fallen alumnus. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I will never forget and will always cherish.

“As always, if anyone is coming to Lexington, I would love to catch up, so feel free to reach out.” That sounds like an incredible trip, and I’m glad you guys got to take it together and that Stephen and Regina got to see their deployed son!

Troy. I, personally, think it’s bull, but good for him. John, congratulations on your kid making the Junior Olympics and your doctorate! Both are awesome!

I messaged briefly with Peter Van Leunen, who is in St. Louis and is teaching his daughter how to drive, as she’s at that age. I’m praying for you, BR. Also traded messages with Greg Vinci a few months back. He and Lauren are doing great. Retirement has taken them to Maryland near Annapolis, where Greg works at a local hospital taking care of the facilities, real estate planning, and construction. He says, “It’s a great job, and we love being settled without the pressure to move.” Sounds great, Greg. Glad both of you are doing well and enjoying “retirement.”

Brother Rats!

Hope everyone has had a great summer and is geared up for a great fall, including football at VMI!

Let’s get to the updates: Matt Gill reached out to let me know that he went to a Counting Crows concert and just randomly happened to sit next to Kevin Morris and Don Spears! Completely random ... or was it the universe telling us that BRs need to hang out together more?

Speaking of hanging out with BRs, Matt Eads checked in with a great update: “From Aug. 2–5, Steve Allison, Regina Allison (admissions staff), Thomas Allison ’23, and I visited the various World War II sights around the Normandy region of France. Of special note, we visited the American Cemetery at Colleville-Sur-Mer, Omaha Beach. The assistant superintendent of the cemetery is John Bolt ’99. John gave us a private tour. Among many highlights, we visited the gravesites of the seven VMI alumni buried at the American Cemetery. This was my third visit to the American Cemetery, and it was easily the most emotional and moving of all the visits. It was a great experience to share with my BR Steve, his family, and John.”

Stephen Allison followed up with his own update: “Regina and I continue to enjoy life in the Shenandoah Valley. Regina just finished her first year as an admissions officer at VMI and is preparing to matriculate her first class Aug. 16. Meanwhile, my youngest son continues working at the military store. My oldest son, 1st Lieutenant Thomas Allison ’23, was deployed to Poland in December 2024 with his armored battalion. In early August, we had the opportunity to fly to France for vacation and see him for the first time in 8

You want more BRs hanging out? I got you covered. John Moore, our southernmost BR, visited the US of A and got a chance to see Troy Spencer: “G’day from Irvine, California. I was here with my wife, Kirsten, to watch my kid, Zach, play in the water polo Junior Olympics. Was lucky enough to catch up for dinner with Troy Spencer and one of his buds from Lynchburg. Needless to say, tall tales were told over a few glasses of red!”

Troy pitched in, too: “Thanks for copying me in, John. And thanks for forwarding Lincoln the picture; thankfully, your wife is in the picture to ‘raise the property values.’ Otherwise, we were in bad shape. I echo John’s note. By incredible happenstance, one of my hometown friends from Lynchburg was in California near Irvine training FBI tactical units (he is an FBI tactical instructor assigned to Quantico). We had a fun dinner, and it was amazing to learn of the many twists and turns in John’s professional journey since leaving VMI. He is, officially, the world’s most interesting man. Or perhaps I should say the world’s most interesting doctor, because John just finished his Ph.D. work! Which, I note, he modestly omitted from his note.

“On a separate but related note, after nearly 26 years of being largely insulated from VMI in Southern California, it seems that I’ve become somewhat popular amongst traveling BRs. In particular, in early June, I was fortunate enough to spend an afternoon and evening with Tuck Worsham. Tuck looks like he was cryogenically frozen after I last saw him (at his wedding) in 1994, and someone thawed out just before we linked up in June. Tuck and family are doing great, and Tuck recently purchased a house in Lynchburg given his wife, Cindy’s, continuing ties to the area. I will follow up with email attaching a picture of Tuck and me taken on the cliffs in Palos Verdes, California.”

You’re not the first to notice Tuck doesn’t age,

Jim Roman sent me an update about an upcoming move: “The Romans will be coming back to the Commonwealth in August. I accepted a position with Thalheimer, leading the commercial properties division. My son, Grady ’28, is a rising 3rd Class cadet and swimmer at VMI; my daughter, Ellie, is teaching in Charleston; and A.J., my oldest son, is working for the Charlotte Knights in baseball operations.” Great to hear, Jim! Looking forward to getting together!

Chris Martin also sent an update: “Martin family checking in. We recently found out that our youngest son is expecting twin boys in late October, early November. Our boys were set up for failure; my mom is a twin, and I married a twin. They never really stood a chance. I had no hand in picking the names out, but I think you might get a kick out of the names they have chosen. We will be welcoming Lincoln Eugene Martin and Levi James Martin to the family pretty soon. My wife, Lynn, just returned from a trip to Texas to visit with them. Look forward to catching up with some Richmond BRs soon.” Congratulations on the twin grandkids, Chris! And you’d better teach that Lincoln kid to fight quick unless he likes being called Nebraska, Continental, President, and/ or Log.

Ed Tomlinson sent an update from the University of South Florida: “We are dropping our oldest son off at the University of Florida Aug. 16. Beth and I are still at University of South Florida, and I have just been appointed as the interim director of our new school of management. We just returned from a trip to Denmark (for a conference) and Sweden (for vacation). I am still jet-lagged and certain there are other things I should tell you that I cannot remember at the moment!” Well, when you start to remember, send another update, BR, and congratulations on being appointed as interim director!

And Heath Bono let us know that he and his

family have moved on from Jersey: “The Bonos are official North Carolina residents. The New Jersey house finally sold, and we are setting up house in Elizabeth City. I’m only about a mile from the Coast Guard air base. I go there to use the gym, and of course, I ran into a New Jersey guy whose father was a cop in the county where I worked, and we know some of the same people. Then I had a fence contractor come by, and his son lives in the town I used to work as a cop. Can I not escape New Jersey?

“We live in a nice neighborhood with a lot of young families. The wife and I go on nightly walks with our Saint Bernard and Great Dane. A lot of people want to pet them, so it helps to meet more neighbors. Several veterans are in the neighborhood, too. Makes me feel comfortable because they understand me better. Like when I go to the CG base. I was Army, but it is still a good feeling to see troops in formation, etc.

“Erik Nilsson is about an hour north in Chesapeake, Virginia. We have spoken on the phone, but his work schedule has prevented us from getting together so far. Now that I am fully in the house and not split between two states, I am sure we will figure it out. If anyone is coming by this way, let me know; we are the gateway to the Outer Banks. I could throw something on the grill, and we could crack a cold one.”

I’ve heard that Elizabeth City is supposed to be a great place to be, Heath, so congratulations on the move. I know it was a long time coming for you guys.

Long-lost Tom Nelson also checked in: “It has been far too long since I sent an update. Frankly, I have always put it off and realized after the fact that I missed the suspense. My family and I are in Colorado Springs, where we stayed after I retired from the U.S. Army. I have a daughter and son attending Western Colorado University in Gunnison, Colorado, and my youngest daughter is a junior in high school. I work for USSPACECOM as a government civilian but look forward to doing something different in the not-too-distant future. We enjoy our time in Colorado biking, camping, skiing, and spending time outdoors as much as possible. Liz and I often consider when we might return to Virginia, but we continue to be torn between two beautiful states. For now, Colorado works where we have a great group of friends and my sister not too far away near Denver.”

Thanks for the update, Tom; congratulations on retirement and glad you all are doing well!

If you haven’t heard, BR Brian Jordan is throwing his hat in the political ring by running for office! “I never thought I would ever run for office or be political in any way, but I feel I need to try

and make a difference by running for Congress. I am running as an independent for the Maryland 5th District. Family is doing fine.” That’s great news, brother rat. We could use some good, common-sense folks in the mad house, and I think after reading your announcement on Facebook that “if you don’t like something, have the courage to try and change it,” that you’re the man for the job. Good luck!

David Hurst also checked in between moving various kids into college: “It has been busy in the Hurst household. My little one was accepted and dropped off last Friday (Aug. 8, 2025) at the North Carolina School of Science and Math (public boarding high school) in Durham, North Carolina. She was the first to leave home for school. It is a pretty intense curriculum. The schedule reminds me of VMI: Reveille at 7; classes from 8–3; athletics 3–5; dinner; study time 2000–2130; in-building curfew 2200; and light out 2400. They sign in and out and have permits—in an app, of course! My older one moves into NC State Aug. 15, 2025. She is a life sciences major. She will have a much different experience than VMI. She still (since 4th grade) is planning a career in medicine. She completed 2 years of college in an early college program and will graduate at 20.

“Jen is still working at the VA. She is a clinical psychologist working on providing training for mental health providers to ensure they are implementing best practices in insomnia care—a treatment called CBT for insomnia. She is in a period of transition as the leadership figures out a path forward. I’m still working for the USDA IT support. My area is the counties between Winston-Salem and Raleigh. The USDA is also undergoing a reorganization. Hopefully, I will have time to visit post this fall.” Great update, David. Congratulations on the kids getting into great colleges and moving to the next phase.

And Steve Thrasher checked in: “This is the first update I’ve sent in a good long time. Mark Schroeder and I met up for dinner recently when I was in Ohio. He suggested a great place in Oak Harbor, Ohio, where we met and hung out until long after we were the only customers remaining. Lots of catching up on current events and reminiscing about ‘the good ol’ days.’ It was good to visit for a bit!” Glad you and Mark had a chance to catch up, Thrash. Sounds like a great time.

I mentioned in the last update that the Institute notified us our 1993 Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Cadet Hollie Sauceda ’28 in April. As some of you might know, we have another class scholarship, the David B. Jordan III ’93 Memorial Scholarship. Dave, who was Echo Company, died in an accident just after graduation. I had

originally been thinking we could combine the scholarships into one scholarship, mainly because I’ve never heard of the scholarship being awarded. I found and reached out to Dave’s dad, David B. Jordan Jr. Mr. Jordan replied to my email, and we had an email conversation about the scholarship. Mr. Jordan established the scholarship after Dave passed away and stipulated that the fund was established for the benefit of English majors only, as Dave graduated as the No. 1 English major in our class. I also found out that the scholarship has been awarded every single semester since they started keeping the records in 2012. Because it’s an endowment, the Institute is very careful about who the information is released to, but Mr. Jordan did say that moving forward, he’ll share the information with us, and provided the cadet is amenable, we’ll share the information with the class. I think this is great. I knew about Dave’s scholarship but did not know that it’s been awarded every semester for probably close to two decades. I’m looking forward to sharing the information when it comes through.

I got a chance to play golf in the VMI Club of Richmond Irby Cup with Ben Lilly, Sam Partin, and Rusty Smith. It was hot. And it was a moist heat. Fortunately, we took it easy, hydrated well, and drank a fair amount of beer and a couple of shots of Virginia Gentleman that we almost immediately sweated out. Despite the heat, it was great to be able to spend half a day playing golf, talking, and laughing with brother rats.

I message fairly regularly with Phil Grant, who is still judging it up in Texas, and Hemi Zamalis Also text regularly with Cameron Briody, who is living the life in Key West and working at Irish Kevin’s. He mentioned that Steve Hunter came in recently with his family to say hi.

While on vacation this summer, I read Kelly Holbert’s book “Broken Wing.” I’ve had it for a while but finally got into it and read it in one day sitting on the beach in Destin, Florida. I know it’s been available for a while, but if you get a chance, you should check it out. It’s on Amazon, just like Erik Nilsson’s book on leadership, “315 Over A Beer.” As I’ve said before, both are great, despite the lack of Lincoln.

I’m submitting this on the day we all got started: Aug. 15, 1989. I think it’s funny/amusing that so many of us have kids going to colleges on the same day, and I think about the differences they’ll have compared to what we had. And I think it’s pretty cool I just received an email from the VMI Alumni Agencies naming Lt. Gen. David Furness ’87 as the 16th superintendent of Virginia Military Institute! Our dyke line remains strong! While I was a fan of Gen. Wins ’85 and was sorry his

contract wasn’t extended, I wish Gen. Wins well, and I wish Gen. Furness the best of luck as he takes VMI into our next chapter.

Everything else with the Swinefords is good. Oldest is still in Fairfax, engaged and focusing up on a May 2026 wedding. She and April went wedding dress shopping last month, found the perfect dress, and are getting deeper into the planning. She and her fiancé got a golden retriever named Pluto recently, and I love that dog. When she says she’s coming into town, the first thing I ask is, “Are you bringing Pluto?” Middle one has started her nursing career, and we couldn’t be prouder. She is officially about 2 weeks into it, and she seems to love it.

And as I said previously, we’re moving the youngest into her VCU dorm. She’s on the fourth floor, and the information is that there’s only one elevator and the wait for it can be up to an hour, so it’s shades of matriculation; I’m going to be lugging stuff up four flights of steps as I can vividly remember carrying a foot locker up Sally Port and how I had it resting on my belt buckle to take some of the load off my arms. Suspect it’s going to be a long day, but a satisfying one because, as David Hurst put it on his Facebook page regarding moving one of his kids into NC State and how he’s now an NC State dad, it’s a “transition of your kids from a child to an adult.” And that’s what those of us with kids want. For them to grow up and be better than us. But they’re always going to be our kids.

I hope you’re all well. I am planning on hitting football games this fall, including hitting Charleston for The Citadel game. If you decide to hit a game, either The Citadel, Richmond, or at the “I,” let me know, and hopefully we can meet up. Thank you to all who sent in an update. If you’ve never sent in an update or you haven’t sent one in recently, please reach out and send it in. I’d love to hear how you’re doing and get a chance to catch up.

I hope you all have a great fall and am looking forward to seeing some of you at tailgates on the Parade Ground!

’93, ’93, ’93.

Brother Rats!

Remember when they told us that “summer will end, and you will still be rats; the leaves will fall, and you will still be rats; the snow will come, and you will still be rats?” Well, the leaves are getting ready to fall, and sometimes I still feel like a rat. Good times. Thanks to all who sent an update on

their summer and early fall adventures!

Scott Bass is still shooting like crazy. Months ago, Scott helped organize a rifle match which helped raise over $11,000 for a rising 3rd Class Keydet’s education! More recently, Brother Bass shot the VMI Club of Richmond’s annual sporting clays shoot at Old Forge in Providence Forge. Not surprising, Scott tied for high overall shooters, breaking 92 out of 100 clays. (Couldn’t get just two more and make it 94, Scott?) Way to go!

Jim McCoy checked in with a quick update from Texas. “Our daughter graduated from Texas A&M Thursday with a B.S. in communication. Our son also graduated from Texas A&M in 2023 with his Master of Economics degree with a minor in business. Stacey and I couldn’t be [prouder] of both. Stacey and I are still in the Houston/Woodlands area.” Maybe it’s not so surprising that Jim ended up with a family full of Aggies! He was one of the few guys in barracks who could pull off donning a cowboy hat. (Although many tried and failed.)

Another great update from our class’ Peruvian ambassador, Eric Ensley. “We just started a new year at school, and I will be teaching mostly 6th grade English and humanities. Family-wise, my third son, Sebastian, is starting 9th grade while his two older brothers, Santiago and Diego, will be in 10th and 12th. Several of my colleagues have asked, ‘Why don’t you move up to high school so you can be their teacher again?’ and I have very happily said, ‘No way!’ since I already taught them in middle school and am getting enough experience with that as a parent. My oldest, Diego, will be graduating and is wanting to fence competitively in college, which is a somewhat more limited field than American football, but we’ll see what happens. While I don’t have any VMI aspirations for him, I am very proud of the young man he is and is becoming and am hoping that he will find a college that helps him thrive. Like many parents, ‘Where did the time go?’ is a frequent thought and spoken phrase, and I know it will be a big change once everyone graduates high school, and Valerie and I are here by ourselves. Right now, Valerie and I are most

definitely in that stage of both trying to work hard and take care of aging parents, as well as being parents ourselves, and it gets a little overwhelming at times for sure. But a whole lot easier, I suppose, than having people kick in your door and shout, making you exercise at 5:30 in the morning.” Truer words have never been spoken, Eric. Glad to hear Peru is treating your family well, and yes, we all need to enjoy the years with the kids at home before they are all grown and gone.

Patrick O’Neil sent a quick note to let me know that BR John Campbell helped Patrick secure a mortgage loan for a vacation home that he closed in August. It was his second mortgage with John. BRs, take note: If you are looking for a property in the Lexington/BV area, J.C. is your man!

Charlie Evans and his wife, Dee, were able to see their son, Josh Evans ’25, wrap up a great cadet career last May. As Charlie reports, “Joshua was a distinguished graduate (international studies), awarded the The Lieutenant General Edward Mallory Almond ’15 Award for Academic-Athletic-Military Excellence at the Institute Awards ceremony, and prior to graduation, he was named co-outstanding wrestler of the year. He commissioned Army and branched infantry. Commissioning was pretty special because Matt MacNeilly, who Josh calls ‘Uncle Matt,’ administered his oath. Myself, Dee, Matt, and his special lady friend, Kim, linked up for the Metallica concert in Blacksburg. I had a fantastic, unbelievable time. Our daughter, Olivia, is at the University of Vermont and just started her second year of Ph.D. work in cellular, molecular, and biomedical science (long way to say pathology and immunology). While we don’t get up there much, we do enjoy visiting Burlington ... but in the summer! Dee and I are slowly easing into empty nest life, but between work, friends, and family, we stay pretty busy.”

Joey Davis had some great news about supporting VMI through football reunions and the VMI Museum. “Lumbee” wrote, “I am currently at VMI for the fourth annual VMI football reunion. On Friday, I met my nephew, Jackson, a prospective Keydet, and my cousin at VMI for a tour. The young lady who gave us a tour is the current regimental S-7 and was extremely impressive. The VMI Museum staff were awesome; they took us to the basement of the museum to view some of the items I donated to VMI after coming back from the Gulf War. Jackson will attend VMI or The Citadel, with VMI currently in the lead. At the VMI football reunion, the Class of 1994 was represented by me and Brother Rats Jon Fabyonic and Rob Ed Snodgrass. Several of our dykes were in

I was surprised to find out that they close at 11 p.m. on Friday nights. WTH. This afternoon, we are having a barbecue at McKethan Park, and I will attempt to defend my cornhole championship trophy from 2024. I donated a 3-night stay at my Kentucky Bourbon Trail home to an auction to help raise money for the football team. Last I checked, Brother Rat Matt Ankrum was the highest bidder.

“My oldest daughter, Jayda, is 18 years old and a senior in high school. This summer, she is doing some volunteer work at the Veterans Administration Hospital; her current plans are to pursue a degree to become a nurse practitioner. My youngest daughter, Jaynie, is 3 years old and starts preschool this fall. She just returned from a trip where she was able to visit Mickey and Minnie at Disney World. My wife, Allison, is enjoying being a mother to a young child again. I am still a partner with Big City Pizza; I hold the CMO position for our company and am enjoying volunteering as a VSO and helping veterans navigate the VA healthcare system. This spring, we took our annual vacation back to Europe. We stopped in London, England; Amsterdam, Netherlands; and Paris, France. It was an amazing trip, and lots of fun was had. We have also visited Greece and Ireland. Next on our list is either Italy or Spain. I recently spoke to John Cunningham and Travis McDaniel. They are both healthy and doing really well.” Joey, thanks so much for the great update and giving your time to serve the VMI and veteran communities!

George “Merce” Brooke checked in to report that he has a rat in the family. His son, John, matriculated in August, and the Brooke clan is excited! That’s one #$@% of a long family line at VMI, for sure. Keep it going, Merce!

Adding to the ’94 legacies is Todd Witt’s son, Dominic, entering his rat year this year. Todd’s RDC genes have him hoping that his son has a miserable year. Todd is already planning a sweat party for when he gets home on winter furlough.

attendance. We met with the VMI football council and discussed the future of VMI football. We have opted out of the NIL program and discussed possibly putting together a plan to create a graduate school at VMI to help with revenue and also this would allow fifth-year athletes to pursue higher degrees and stay at VMI. This would also help with recruiting transfers that enter the portal system. Last night, a few of us met up at the Palms to finish the night off with a bourbon.

A big congratulations to Ro Browning for coming in second in the Kips Bay (NYC) Cocktail Contest this past summer. Ro says that his entry, The Denmark, is a scotch-forward delight “with notes of tobacco and crushed velvet that make you feel like a jazz singer.” I’m not quite sure what that means, but I want one. Awesome, Ro; I can’t wait to sample one on your next spur-of-the-moment jaunt to Virginia.

Jim Todd and his wife spent a few weeks in France this summer and took a detour to go see the Lorraine American Cemetery, the largest American cemetery in France. Jim said that the cemetery “happened to be on Avenue de Fayetteville, which,

as an infantryman, had a lot of meaning. We ate for free in the town of Saint-Avold as Americans. Really moving experience. I’ll be back in Belgium for work next month and will extend the trip a bit to visit Omaha Beach, which will be another moving experience, I’m sure.” Jim, thanks so much for taking the time to visit those incredibly important and significant sites. When I hit the lottery, I’ll charter a flight to take our class over to Normandy. We’d all love that.

Buzz Lucas is alive! And he’s still keeping the airways secure, as he reports, “Most may know that I have been a ‘senior’ federal air marshal assigned to the Los Angeles field office since 2015. Most recently, I was able to meet up with our BR Ed Hosken’s brother-in-law, Craig Covert ’87, while TDY in London, United Kingdom. He and his family have wrapped up their tour of duty with NCIS and are returning to Virginia. As far as retiring from federal service, even though I officially reached a milestone of 30 years (gasp!) in July, I’m just not quite ready to pull the trigger just yet. We shall see. It’s always great to see what everyone has going on, especially in today’s use of social media platforms. If anyone is not aware or not in the Facebook group ‘VMI Brother Rats—Class of ’94,’ let me know and I’ll send an invite! Wishing everyone the best!” Great work, Buzz, and thanks for your service.

Jason Cincilla and Kevin Vermillion linked up in Fort Worth for lunch recently. Driver reports that all is well, and he’s working hard to find dates in the fall for BRs to get together back in Lexington.

I recently caught up with Gerald Escobar; he and Cheryl are doing great, as well as their kids. They took their daughter, Amelia, to see Dave Matthews in Richmond this summer, which is funny because I remember G always saying that Dave Matthews Band was overrated. They were also able to get away to Emerald Isle in North Carolina for some well-deserved vacation time, which is good because Gerald needs to learn to relax. Just kidding, G. Get the lights.

Mike Weaver says he hasn’t been up to much, but that’s not true. Weave took a family trip to the Outer Banks and spent every weekend this summer on his boat. He’s living the Weave life for sure. We should all be so lucky.

As for lucky, I was able to slip away from the Virginia War Memorial for a couple of weeks to travel with Brittney up to the Great Lakes, a region I’d never been to before. It was a fabulous

Class Notes

trip with some of the prettiest landscapes, coastal towns, water, and beaches we’d ever seen. And the amazing shipwreck history was an added bonus. (I still have Gordon Lightfoot singing in my head.) I highly recommend the Michigan coastline for a great getaway!

More thanks to the BRs who have taken the time to do their oral history interviews with me. I’ll always be looking for more, so reach out and we can schedule yours. We need to preserve our class history!

Best wishes to you all as the holiday season approaches. These years go by too quickly now; let’s make sure we redouble our efforts to keep ’94 in close touch.

“Red, white, and yellow floats on high ...”

Clay

1995

Michael Fellows

Brother Rats,

Well, here we are again, another quarter rolling by like a Rat Line shuffle— fast, sweaty, and full of unexpected turns. I’m checking in from the road, where I’ve spent most of this summer crisscrossing the Southeast like a golf ball with a bad slice. My son’s gearing up for his junior year, which apparently means turning every weekend into a tournament trek. We’ve hit courses from the humid fairways of Florida to the pine-scented greens of the Carolinas and North Alabama, with pit stops at questionable roadside diners that make Crozet look like it deserves a Michelin star. It’s been a blast watching him crush drives longer than my attention span, but let’s be real: Chasing a teenager’s golf dreams has me feeling like I’m back on a Corps trip—exhausted, caffeinated, and questioning my life choices. Still, nothing beats family time under the sun, even if it means explaining to my wife why I need to play in the practice rounds even though I’m not in the tournament. Unfortunately, these notes are a bit shorter than normal, but I’ve got my shoulders back and my chin in to make up for it.

What’s kept me grinning through the

mileage, though, is hearing from all of you. Seriously, brother rats, the emails, texts, and photos that keep coming in have been a highlight reel of our class’ unbreakable spirit. When I get them, it’s like we’re all still in barracks, swapping stories over lukewarm coffee, except now with better Wi-Fi and fewer demerits. From epic adventures to family milestones, it’s clear we’re not slowing down—we’re just upgrading our chaos with passports, diplomas, and a healthy dose of “hold my beer” energy. And speaking of photos, I’ve got a stack to share that’ll make you laugh, nod in admiration, and maybe question your own summer Netflix binge. Let’s dive in.

First up, Kurt Polk and his crew turned family vacation into a full-on pilgrimage, hiking the Camino de Santiago across Portugal and Spain. Picture this: Kurt, Angie, and their two kids trudging ancient paths that pilgrims have walked for centuries, dodging blisters and existential questions like, “Come on, Dad, are we really this Catholic?” The photo shows them beaming in front of some random cathedral that he didn’t name when he sent the photo. They’re all looking like they’ve conquered more than just miles—they’ve nailed that rare family bonding where everyone survives without mutiny. Impressive doesn’t cover it; doing the Camino with the whole fam is reminiscent of a forced march— requires patience, grit, and probably a few motivational speeches that echo our old cadre days. Kurt, if you’re reading this, hats off. You’ve set the bar high for “family fun.”

Then there’s the photo that got me chuckling when I first saw it: Ante Sucic at daughter Matea’s graduation from Washington and Lee this spring. Matea’s got that fresh diploma glow, but the real star is Ante, suited up in his grey blouse uniform like he just stepped out of a time machine from 1995. Brother rat, I tip my shako to you—most of us couldn’t squeeze into our old coatees without industrial-strength Spanx or a tub of Crisco. Thirty years later, and you’re out here flexing like it’s no big deal. It’s hilarious and inspiring all at once; makes me think Ante’s secret is a diet of discipline and whatever elixir keeps those buttons from popping. Congrats to Matea on the milestone—W&L’s loss is the world’s gain—and to Ante for proving that some of us age like fine wine, while the rest of us are more like that “Grade D but edible” meat from Crozet. Shifting to pure pride territory, we’ve got Jeremy Ingram beaming next to his son, Grayson ’25, at VMI graduation. If a picture’s worth a thousand words, this one’s screaming “mission accomplished” from the rooftops. Jeremy’s face says it all—that mix of “I raised a Keydet” glow

and “thank God he survived the Rat Line without calling home every day.” Grayson looks sharp in his uniform, ready to take on the world just like his old man did back in our day. It’s moments like these that remind us why we endured the sweatbox of Lexington: To pass on that unbreakable VMI ethos. Jeremy, you’ve got every right to that grin—it’s the kind that comes from watching your kid cross the same finish line we did, only with better tech and fewer landlines. Hats off to Grayson for joining the ranks!

Now, for the adrenaline junkie award of the summer—and a jab at our collective “low t” levels—enter Matt Russell, who decided one bull run wasn’t enough and charged back into the fray in Spain. That’s right, Matt dusted off his running shoes (or whatever you wear to outpace angry bovines) and hit Pamplona again, calling us all out for getting soft in our desk chairs. Back in ’99, he tackled this madness with Chris Antonelli ’98, Scott Southall (our eternal Guh Guh), and Rick Blaylock, turning it into a legendary tale of near-misses and questionable decisions. Fast-forward 26 years, and Matt’s at it again, dodging horns like he’s busting out of Southern Sem at 1 a.m. The best part? He emerged unscathed—no front tooth missing or van blackouts like last time. (Matt, we all remember that story; it’s etched in class lore like a bad tramp stamp.)

Photo evidence shows him upright and smiling, looking exhilarated and a tad insane, proving that while our hairlines might be retreating, our sense of adventure isn’t. Brother rat, you’ve shamed us into considering something more daring than yard work. Next time, pack extra mouthguards— and maybe invite the class for moral support?

As summer winds down, I’m already eyeing a fun fall ahead, full of gridiron glory and more excuses to rally. My family’s heading up to Annapolis for the VMI versus Navy football game over Labor Day weekend—nothing like watching our Keydets take on the Midshipmen to kick off the season with some patriotic flair. If you’re in the area, swing by; I’ll be the one in the stands pretending I still remember the words to “The Spirit.” Hope to catch some of you there—would be great to turn it into a mini reunion of sorts.

Speaking of rivalries that get the blood pumping, there’s buzz about a class rally in Charleston for the showdown against ... you know, that other place down south that thinks they’re our equals—bless their hearts. If we can pull it off, it’ll be epic: Good food, better company, and enough trash talk to keep the rivalry healthy. I try and keep an eye on the socials for details incoming via the usual channels (or that mysterious VMI1995 Facebook page—Dave Mitchell,

1996 Jon Dano

Nick Latsios

if you’re out there, hook a class agent up).

I’ll wrap it here before I hit novella territory, but keep those updates and photos coming, gentlemen. Whether it’s a family hike, a uniform flex, or a bull-dodging escapade, your stories keep us connected and chuckling. As always, it’s an awful place to be from ... wait, no: The best place to be from, with the best brother rats around. Take care, stay in touch, and see y’all soon.

Michael

and John both recognize they are getting old and don’t stretch enough. Right, BR Bahen?

Congratulations to our BR Col. Chris Noe on his retirement from the United States Army. This summer, Chris had his retirement ceremony, which was attended by brother rats Rusty McGuire, Brian Eberhardt, Barron Mills, and Spike Solovey. Chris is enjoying his summer with his family.

Brother Rats,

It has been an action-packed summer with many wonderful updates from our BRs. Starting with the wedding of Dave Hall’s daughter, Charlotte, this summer, who recently graduated from the United States Naval Academy and will be going to flight school in September. Charlotte married Justin Carl, who also graduated from USNA in May and is a Marine Corps officer. At the wedding, I was able to visit with Dave Hall and his wife, Vicky, who is doing quite well, which is a blessing. I also was able to hang out with Mike Obadal and his lovely wife, Christine; Chris Oakey and his lovely wife, Molly, and their five very impressive children; and Andre Johnson. Mike is preparing for his role as the undersecretary of the Army, and after speaking to him, I am excited to see his transformational vision come to life. Chris told me about his amazing farm and said if anyone is ever rolling through New Canton, Virginia, he would welcome a visit. Andre has been celebrating the high school graduation and upcoming start at Howard University of his talented daughter, Ajay. It was a great night to celebrate with them all and having our families meet.

Tom Danielsen was able to meet up with Jason Botterill in Minneapolis, and he took him ‘flying’ at the iFly indoor skydiving center. Tom said it was absolutely awesome. Tom also had the privilege of seeing Jason and his daughter in action in the wind tunnel. Amazing stuff. Jason and his family are still doing great near St. Cloud. All of his kids are epic skateboarders and keep Jason active. He admitted he now has a 30-minute warm-up routine these days before trying to join his kids in the skate park. Tom also met up with John Pearce in Minneapolis, as they both just happened to be there for work. So they figured out a way to turn it into a dinner and catch up. John’s still in Northern Virginia. His oldest is starting his junior year of high school, and his daughter is starting 8th grade. Both he and Allie are doing great and added a summer place in Ocean City last year and get there when they can. John is still active in CrossFit, and Tom

Following battalion command, Corrie Brice was selected to be the Field Artillery Proponent Office director, responsible for all Field Artillery personnel spaces across the total Army; selected for U.S. Army War College; then the Mission Command Training Program, the Army’s only organization which trains Division, Corps, and Army Service Component/Theater Army staffs, where he served as the chief of fires. Now he is the chief of the Operational Training Division for the Fires Center of Excellence’s Directorate of Training and Doctrine, responsible for all collective training for field artillery and air defense artillery soldiers. So, it has been a busy few years for Corrie.

On July 25, Corrie graduated U.S. Army War College, but he was not alone! The Class of ’96 was represented well with Corrie and Jeremy Johnson. Classmates again! They slogged through the school together, with one of them graduating with honors. I’ll let you guess which one ... Jeremy is a colonel in the Army Reserve working in D.C. He’s living the good life! Corrie was selected for promotion to colonel. Looks like

he will pin in February. And it just so happened that BR Brig. Gen. Rusty McGuire was a surprise guest at their graduation, as well as Brig. Gen. Todd Hubbard ’91. Having served in the United States Air Force since graduation, Brig. Gen. Brian S. Hartless has just retired from serving 29 years and most recently as the Air Force director of civil engineers, deputy chief of staff for Logistics, Engineering and Force Protection, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Virginia. He was responsible for providing policy and oversight for the planning, development, construction, maintenance, utilities, and environmental quality of 176 Air Force bases worldwide valued at more than $420 billion. This responsibility includes housing, fire and emergency services, explosive ordnance disposal, and emergency management services. He also influenced resourcing for installation support functions with an annual budget of $8 billion and is the focal point for organizing, training, and equipping a 51,000-person engineer force. His retirement ceremony was held at Joint Base Anacostia and was a wonderful ceremony. In attendance from our class was his roommate, Mike Ohleger, and Nick Latsios, with his other roommate, Sterling Sweeney, powering through his solo hike of the Appalachian Trail. Brian is looking forward to his retirement and spending more time with the family.

In another inspiring story, I caught up with Matt Creech this summer to learn about an amazing cause he is representing. Matt has become a spokesman and sponsor for a charitable organization that supports people afflicted with Becker Nevus Syndrome. In an effort to raise awareness and support for victims of this affliction, Matt, who is an avid marathon runner, felt he needed to do more than just organize a fundraising marathon. Instead, he went on a summer-long trek riding a series of llamas from

Greensboro, North Carolina, all the way to Little Rock, Arkansas, cataloging his adventure along the way to raise funds. Matt, who is now known as “the Llama King of Greensboro,” has some harrowing tales of his journey, including a run-in with a black bear and some wild boar along the way. But Matt said the need to support the Becker Nevus cause outweighed the risks.

This year marked the fourth year of a mini reunion at Fort Lewis with Darrell Dudley, Tad Blackburn, Paul Dickinson, Taylor Smith, and Karl Painter. After many years of graciously being invited, Nick Latsios was finally able to get it together and attend. What a beautiful setting and fantastic fellowship. Nick loved how great a time with old friends and our significant others it was. It’s great to see BRs getting together so often. Also, Paul Dickinson was recently appointed to be the VMI Alumni Association NYC Chapter president, so I am hopeful there will be some good alumni parties up there soon.

This summer, Vern Wilkens and Frank Dingle were caught on the big screen kiss cam at a Baltimore Orioles baseball game, where the stadium was doing a spoof on the whole Coldplay kiss cam scandal. It was a hilarious 3 seconds of seeing Vern with a whole crabcake stuffed in his mouth while Frank was chugging an oversized can of Natty Boh, with half spilling down his shirt. Needless to say, there was no kissing going on, but they proudly displayed themselves in all their Baltimore glory without ducking out of the camera’s way. Frank later told me that Vern had paid the stadium copious amounts of VernCoin to get them on the big screen.

For those of you who may not have seen the email, our 30th Reunion is April 24–25, 2026. Be on the lookout for communications for this event. We have already started planning the event, and I can assure you it will be a blast. The most important thing is to see as many

BRs there as possible. So, get the word out. Hotel block is the Hampton Inn; please reach out to Nick or me if you need any details.

Jon and Nick

1997

David M. Hudock

Gentlemen of the Old Corps!

I think it’s safe to say that a lot has happened since the last time you read a class notes entry. Three months seems like an eternity these days, and our class is doing its best to pack the time with a relentless onslaught of activity, but I would be remiss if I didn’t mention two items of interest that probably didn’t make the national news but are significant in the Institute’s endeavor to continue to be heard from ... in all spaces. As of this writing, the announcement arrived of USMC Lt. Gen. Furness ’87 selection as the next VMI superintendent. His classmate, USMC Lt. Gen. Bierman ’87, is also starting this fall in his new position as commandant of the corps of cadets at Texas A&M University. Great news for the Class of 1987, and great news for VMI! And, as a Marine, I can’t resist mentioning that Marines are now leading The Citadel, Norwich, the Virginia Tech corps of cadets, and the Naval Academy. But I digress! On to news of the Class of 1997 and what we’re really here for.

Let’s start with our own Marine ... Ed Bonham, who tells me things are going well since he was moved from being in charge of training for his department to the position of compliance and emergency management officer (also known as the deputy emergency manager). This means he was given the task of standing up the department’s pharmacy, which is the result of new Virginia regulations requiring all Virginia fire departments to create pharmacy programs. He said it’s

been an interesting year, with a welcome change in duties and experiences. His wife, Lynne, and he are enjoying spending time with their children and grandkids (grandbaby No. 6 will be born in the next few weeks). He sent a picture of him with some other alumni from the Virginia Emergency Management Association conference a few months ago. In addition to his work advancement,

Ed is also a participant and survivor of summer FTX 2025. When he’s not drifting down the Maury, he spends time in Bowling Green catching up with Slemp, who is about 20 minutes away from him, as well as Elk Richardson and Matt Smith Great hearing from you, Ed, and congratulations on your new position with the fire department! In other Virginia news, Steve Jones dropped me a line with some family highlights. He was recently promoted to chief warrant officer 4 and received his Master Army Aviator wings, which officially makes him an “Old Dog” in the Virginia Army Air Reserve National Guard aviation enterprise. He logged his—count them—second Parade Ground landing last winter supporting the Army ROTC department! He’s hoping he can make the trifecta happen next spring for the FTX. Lastly, he is now preparing for two back-to-back teenage drivers and is counting on his instructor pilot training paying off without any yelling or crying (for all of them) during this process! Congratulations on the promotion, Steve, and being an official “Old Dog.” Thanks for the note, and good luck with the aspiring drivers.

Got a quick note from Tripp Costen’s rat, Chris Boswell ’00, who said he and Tripp played together in a golf tournament at Boonsboro Country Club in Lynchburg, Virginia, on a weekend in July and finished runners-up in the whole tournament! They lost on the final hole of the shootout to another Keydet, Charles “Budge” Hunter ’10, and his younger brother, J.D. Strong VMI showing in the tourney. Great work, Bozz; give Tripp my email address!

Steve Strain was in town recently to prepare his Pentagon City apartment for sale. Helping him with moral support were Greg Reynolds and Greg’s son, who is starting college this fall. I caught up with them for dinner at the Navy Yard, and Mike Belenky joined us. As you can tell, Steve is enjoying civilian life in San Antonio as far away from a razor as possible, and Greg is still living large in New Jersey. Thanks for the quick visit, boys!

‘Tis the season for graduations and summer training, and E. Sean Lanier ’94 sent me a note with news and a group photo of Marine Officer Candidate School graduation. Jon

Riggs was attending to see his son, a future The Citadel graduate, complete the Bulldog program. Other notable OCS graduates include Kern Aughinbaugh ’26, but the event was well attended by fellow alums. Congrats, Jon and Brad!

As mentioned earlier, the annual summer FTX occurred in July, and as far as I know, all personnel were accounted for and intact at its conclusion. Try not to feel old! A good time was had by all at the event’s eighth iteration, and plans are already underway for No. 9 next summer. Make your arrangements now!

me if so.) I hope you all are well!

Dave Benedick self-reported that a Harris Teeter associate offered him a senior discount, and after a brief consideration, he gladly accepted and is asking for forgiveness from Wirth, Warburton, and McGinley. Dave, good to hear from you, and I will hit you up during my travels to the Triangle, which will be kicking up quite a bit in my new role in real estate and construction.

Tony Ezell checked in for the first time since I have been doing the class notes (thank you, and I hope you send another update). He shared a picture of himself and Stefan Barr from a Utah whitewater rafting adventure, where Tony is a rafting guide. Stay in touch, Tony, and if you have access to any turkey hunting ground, please send me a note! Stefan, let’s link up since you are not far away in Bedford.

That will wrap up this quarter’s entry. I hope you enjoyed the rest of your summers, and hopefully we linked up at one or more football games at the Institute. Be well and stay sane.

1998

Hello from Lex Vegas, where I am writing these notes for submission the day before the incoming rats meet cadre tomorrow, and we are saying goodbye to summer and looking ahead to fall, when the leaves will change ... and you likely remember the rest. I have a few updates and pictures this time, so let’s get started.

I must start by saying that our very own class president, Kevin Trujillo, was promoted to general officer since our last update, and as far as I know, he is our first confirmed GO! It sounds like several others are on track, as well! While I did not receive an update from him, we are on a few group texts and shared some pleasantries with Kevin. Congrats, KT, and thank you for your service. I hope to see you in Lexington this fall.

Just after the submission in May, Matt Guise shared an update from Errett Buis’ wedding in Wilmington Country Club. The Institute was well-represented by Ryan Hughes, Bill Hoofnagle ’67, Errett Buis, John Morgan, Matt Guise, Marshall Luck ’99 (98+1)—direct quote from MG. Congrats, Errett, and the newest member of our class, Ellen (Matt did not submit her name, so I Googled your registry; I would hope there was not another Errett married in Wilmington, so forgive

Brandon Bissell ’98 and I had to raincheck a meeting or two this past quarter here in Lexington, but he and Lynne are doing well, and I hope to catch him this weekend when the rats meet cadre. We should also be around for some football games, so hit us up if you are in town. Hoping to see him and a group of TBD at the Richmond football game.

Bobby Heely checked in (courtesy of Christian Craft) and reported he recently made a career move that may impact his ability to promote, but the path would have required three jobs in three different states over the next 3–4 years. With his children entering high school, he chose not to pursue it, and instead he worked with the Navy to send him to command the Tulane Naval ROTC. Bobby’s wife went to law school there, and the opportunity was too good to pass up, so he is having his change of command Aug. 28 in San Diego and will head down to the Big Easy for at least 4 years. They found a great home in uptown NOLA, and his door is always open!

Bobby also shared that he had a beer with Chris Floom and his wife, LeAnne, in Coronado. They get to see each other frequently, and they try to play golf when they can, but normally Bobby’s work gets in the way! The last 2 years, Mike Spinelli and his wife, Cindy, have spent several months in San Diego to get away from the harsh Montana winters. It has been great reconnecting with Mike. One night earlier this year, Mike, Chris, and Dave Burns (who was in town for a conference) came by for dinner. Needless to say, they laughed a lot and drank way too much wine!

Justin Lewis is still in the Navy and crushing it as a supply corps officer. The last Bobby heard, he was in the Norfolk area. He also believes Bill Fallon is still active duty but is not completely sure where he is stationed. Finally, Don Rauch is serving in Japan right now.

Bobby, thanks for sharing so many updates (credit received: Christian), and I hope you enjoyed that video of comedian Gary Owen talking about his days as an MP on the base and starting his comic career, which sounded like a fair representation of what it must be like to me! Be well and good luck in NOLA!

Jimmy Peay (also courtesy of Christian Craft) shared he is stationed in Korea and is serving as the 8th Army, G3 (operations officer). The 8th Army is the Army’s component command to the Joint Force HQs, and he is responsible for command of all U.S. Army forces and families in Korea, which keeps him busy. He really enjoys it there, and there is a great showing of VMI (alumni) service members in Korea he gets to see and work with daily, which is a very proud moment for Jimmy. He speculates that he will be back in the U.S. after 2 more years, potentially summer 2026. This year, Jimmy was planning a stateside visit the first of August for a week to spend time with his parents and kids (all are in Wisconsin on a family farm a couple of miles from Lake Michigan, where his mother’s family is from). He was also going to be back at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, for a week in September and then planning a pilgrimage up to Virginia for a few days before returning to Korea.

Brendan Toolan is still in the Army, as well, and he just came out of his col./brigade command and went to work on the Joint Staff at the Pentagon. After a couple of years’ break in service (he became a civilian and wanted to come back in), he is an Army year group back (’00) and doing well (as expected). Brendan is possibly trying to arrange a meeting in Lexington ... who knows.

Wade German just assumed (second) command of a “multi-domain” organization, which does a lot of cyber, targeting, and long-range fires.

Dan Gibson just left the chief of staff job at the 82nd Airborne and is heading to D.C. to work on the Army staff at the Pentagon. Jimmy, I hope you are doing well. We have a number of us back here in Lexington, so reach out when you are back

next! I hope that I translated that update properly, as I admit that I am not versed in the terminology. Send more updates!

Christian shared a picture for this Review from a day at Virginia Beach with Dave Nash, who recently had knee replacement surgery and intends to retire next June. Ernesto Sampson showed them a picture of Col. Gyimah showing Vice President Vance around Camp Pendleton with Lang White following closely!

The Class of ’98 in the house!

Well, well, well (inside joke), after a 15-year hiatus, Dale Paxton was spotted by Sean Hicklin in the Covington, Virginia, Walmart parking lot, making a conspicuous entrance into the Commonwealth in a white Ford work truck with a VMI logo and Florida plates. Huck promptly turned the lights on him and asked to see his license/registration. I may be embellishing slightly, but after much ado, we were able to get together for dinner, followed up by a night on the town closing the Palms, SkyBar, etc. I have too many updates to share, including the fact that I woke up at 8:45 a.m. feeling a little off myself, but Dale was long gone from my house and had returned to Pott’s Creek an hour earlier! As I type this, we are supposed to get together again before Dale heads back to Florida. He has been doing well in Florida while traveling the world over and building bridges, oil platforms, etc., which has taken him to many places. He is not married, but his lady friend of 13 years, Ann, appears to rule the roost, so why complicate things—at least that is what I gathered and received permission to write. His son, Cooper, is a rising junior in high school and plays basketball with plans to attend Florida State. Dale, it was great reconnecting, and I look forward to staying in touch. No more 15-year ghosting—we may not have that to spare! We ran out of pictures for this submission (capped at 5), so 101 will have to wait another 3 months.

Finally, a huge thank you to Jeff and Hillary Taylor for opening their home to the Class of ’98 this summer and providing a fantastic place to gather in Fredericksburg for some fellowship and a good time by all. Footnote to Christian and Chasity Craft, who always support class activities and facilitated the gathering. Too many updates to share, but I personally saw people I have not seen since graduation: J.P. Morris, Mike Kelleher, Col. Bush (HBR), Christian Craft, Brooke Barbour,

Matt Guise, Ernesto Sampson, John Gonzales, Alex Blanton, Joey Bates, Neil Holleran, Greg Ellen, Jeff Taylor, Gardner Mundy, John Strock, Brandon Bissell, Keith Lawhorn, and Aaron Edmonson. Not pictured but in attendance were Paul Sakellariou and Matt Staton

Sean Williams clocked in just under the bell. and shared that he felt compelled to write after reading that everyone is retiring! Sean will himself be retiring May 31, 2026, which will give him 29 years and 5 days of total service, with 25 of those being active duty. Wow, Sean, thank you and congratulations! He and his wife were heading to Italy shortly after his email for about 10 days, and he admits that they have grown to love that country. They plan on hitting a VMI game this season and have texted Mark Redmon about his interest in going, if he will be around. Sean will not “expose” their children (Shepherd, 7, and Ford, 4) to the Institute and some live game action, but still TBD. Sean, thanks for the kind compliments and the update. Please stay in touch and send me a note before you come in; would be great to see you. Rock on!

The quickest way to reach me is via text or at joeybates@hotmail.com. My commitment to you

is a response, along with working hard tirelessly to make sure that we all enjoy the trips to post in the years ahead.

Always busy here, but if you are in town, please hit me up for a beer.

I hope you are well and, when you read these notes in November 2025, that you take a few minutes to shoot me an email, Facebook message, or text message so I have more to share. If you are coming to town this fall/winter/spring for any activities, please give me a shout in advance ... Rah Virginia Mil! ’98, ’98, ’98.

across the country and around the globe.

On a personal note, I just dropped off my daughter for her freshman year at the University of Miami. My firm wanted to open an office in Naples, Florida, so I jumped on the opportunity to head that up and follow her south to the land of the sun and low taxes after 25 years in the Chicago area.

Matthew Hart ran into Rodney Daniels when the Plymouth Fife and Drum Corps came to post Saturday, July 12. Rodney and crew were decked out in 10 pounds of wool in the July heat but still managed to put on a great show. In the photo, you can almost feel the humidity.

Mike Condon tied the knot with his lovely bride, Mary Scott, July 7 in Hilton Head, South Carolina. The celebration was full of joy and BRs, including Van Carson, Matt Kuhr, Jordan Brandon, and Steve Lucas, along with Brad Brickhouse ’02. Congrats to Mike and Mary!

Charlie Fleet is hoping to make it back to post this fall to see BR Dallas Clark. Charlie recently joined MHEG, a nonprofit focused on affordable housing, as their CTO. His oldest, Alex, is heading into senior year with engineering aspirations and a house full of 3D printer parts. His youngest, Andy, is 30 hours into flight lessons and has had his sights set on being a pilot for the last decade. The Fleet family just returned from a trip to Hawaii, including a visit to Pearl Harbor. Lots of work to do in the affordable housing area; they are lucky to have you, Charlie!

Shane Stille’s daughter, Ariana, has officially joined the ranks as a VMI cadet! Ariana just started her rat year as part of the Class of ’26+3. Big congratulations to the Stille family! If you see a Stille on post, take care of that kid and yell, “Get out!” Shane remains active in the VMI boxing scene (“tss, tss”) and recently ran into Jayko from the Class of ’01 at a collegiate boxing showcase at NYAC.

Jason Berg has retired from the Marine Corps after 29 years and is staying in Japan, where he’s taken on a new role with Anduril as senior regional manager, air defense in the Pacific. He’s also working with Dassai, a Japanese sake brewery. Jason’s excited for this next chapter—cheers to that!

Randy Eads continues to serve as city manager and city attorney for Bristol, Virginia. The city recently opened a Hard Rock Resort and Casino, so if you’re looking for a weekend getaway, Bristol’s calling.

Greetings, Brother Rats and Friends of the Class of 1999,

It’s been another lively quarter for our class, and I’m excited to share some great updates from

John O’Dell is wrapping up his active duty career just down the road from VMI as the AFROTC detachment commander at Virginia Tech. The Virginia Tech corps of cadets is bound to lock in a little more with John bringing some VMI discipline to their ranks. He’s happy to show any BRs around

if you’re passing through Blacksburg.

Ben Kincaid and family have moved back to the D.C. area after years overseas. He’s looking forward to reconnecting with VMI and the BR network now that he’s stateside. Welcome home, Ben; we’re all looking forward to reconnecting with you!

Andy Fox attempted to take away my thunder and cc’d all 282 of us on his update, so we already know this, but he, along with BRs Espinoza and Weaver, is planning to attend the VMI versus Navy football game this fall. Send us a picture for the next Review, guys. Take it early—that game might turn ugly ... never mind, we’re going to beat them by 50. RVM!

Barry Williams’ son is starting his freshman year at Davidson College in Charlotte, North Carolina. Barry continues to serve as deputy director for the Army Acquisition Support Center at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. All is well in the Williams household.

Class Notes

Conor Powell has been busy producing and directing a documentary titled “Who Killed Shireen,” which investigates the murder of Shireen Abu Akleh, Palestinian-American journalist. The film is streaming on

Zeteo.com and was selected by the United Nations Association Film Festival for 2025. Conor hosted a screening in D.C. in July attended by BRs Ben Kincaid and Jamie Kane. If you watch the film and want to talk, Conor is always open to connecting.

Thanks to everyone who shared updates. As always, I’m proud to be part of this class and inspired by the work, service, and adventures of our BRs. If you have news to share or just want to reconnect, don’t hesitate to reach out.

In the Bonds, Jeff Golden

Justin Cole has kept busy this quarter across multiple missions—from underground rescues to countering information warfare to financial strategy sessions. He helped instruct the only pro board

and IFSAC-certified cave rescue technician program in the nation with the Huntsville Cave Rescue Unit and Alabama Fire College, training teams to rescue people from locations so dark their headlamps question their life choices. Above ground, Justin continues his work as a cybersecurity scientist supporting the U.S. Army, replicating adversarial information warfare to protect critical systems. He also ran federal employee retirement workshops and Roth conversion seminars while maintaining his part-time USAR duties. In short, Justin has been saving people from holes, protecting the Army from propaganda, and helping civilians avoid bad retirement math.

Jason Cole just had his change of command at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, and plans to rest in place before retirement next year. Justin’s own change of command, relinquishing command of the 2100 MIG at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is set for November.

Chad Welch took his family to St. Lucia, chartering a private offshore fishing boat 2 days in a row to satisfy his son’s fishing requests. They caught one mahi, which the resort charged $40 to prepare, though his son wouldn’t try it; it is now framed as the most expensive fish Chad has ever eaten.

Greg Bosley caught up with Jeb Cox a few times this summer at Southeast Texas alumni events. He dropped his oldest off at the University of Oklahoma and is taking his senior to visit Virginia Tech before reunion weekend. Greg and his wife plan to attend the Navy opener and hope to see some classmates at the VMI pregame.

Beau Mason dropped Beau Mason Jr. off at “Mother I” to start in the Rat Mass of ’26+3. His son, Brendan, has a learner’s permit, and his daughter, Nora, will be testing for hers soon. Beau plans a GoFundMe to help cover insurance expenses and looks forward to catching up with James Royce and continuing to follow Paul Lee as their daughters compete against each other. Beau will room with Conrad Bicknell for the 25th Reunion.

Patrick Haddock reports not much has changed, but he’s looking forward to the reunion. He shared that BR Worth Burns sadly lost his wife to cancer and noted that his family would

appreciate prayers during this time.

Paul Lee and his family continue to enjoy life in Fredericksburg. His oldest daughter, Sophie, will be starting at UVA in the fall; Scarlett is now a high school sophomore; and Henry is in the seventh grade. The family is excited for the reunion.

Devon Jones starts a new role at Equifax, finding it a bit strange to work for such a large company but is excited for the opportunity. His children, entering 3rd and 5th grades, will keep him busy. He plans to attend only Saturday’s reunion festivities.

Ryan Cengeri remains in Pennsylvania. His son moved to Ireland to restore castles, and all his daughters are doing well.

Scott Johnson reports that his two sons are entering their sophomore and junior years of college, and his daughter is a high school junior. He and his wife recently purchased a second home in Urbanna, Virginia, where they eventually plan to retire.

Brent Kennedy is not in Taiwan.

John Scott Wilson Sr. completed his annual super swim of 12.15 miles in 7:39, surpassing his 2023 PR of 10:23. He also expects his second grandchild in February.

Mac Semler, also in Southeastern Pennsylvania, left big tech consulting 6 months ago to go independent. He caught up with Micah North and Andrew Bowen recently in Dayton/Cincinnati for a Reds game. His 14-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son are active in horseback riding and travel ice hockey, promising a busy fall and winter.

Matt Parker continues with Dominion Energy as director of the Electric Transmission System Operations Center, managing unprecedented load growth due to data centers. He works closely with VMI alumni Mike Lamb ’88, Keith Graham ’02, and Nathan Howard ’13. He and his wife have a 16-year-old son at Atlee High School and a daughter at the University of Kentucky studying to become an athletic trainer.

Joe Gorski is still in the Atlanta suburbs working for the Quikrete Companies as environmental compliance director. His son is a first-year cadet at VMI. Ed Pearson started a new role with Northrop Grumman (Space

Systems), managing teams specializing in cybersecurity, infrastructure as code, and DevSecOps. His children have started school—8th, 6th, and kindergarten—and he hosted BR Quesuan Wigfall back in July during a conference in Long Beach.

2001

Greetings, Brother Rats,

We’re kicking off another academic year here at the U.S. Army Command & General Staff College, and it’s energizing to welcome the new class of officers as the campus fills with fresh energy and purpose. On the home front, life at Fort Leavenworth is going great, where Gemma is thrilled to start first grade, and Hank “the Tank” is knee-deep in his Monster Jam phase, roaring

trucks through the living room like it’s a full-time job. We’re grateful for the chaos and for another season of growth.

As the school year begins, it’s also a great time to reflect on how our brother rats continue to stay connected through scouting trips, community leadership, surprise baseball reunions, and life milestones—both big and small.

Oscar Alfaro wrote from New Jersey, where his summer was full of family adventures and scouting commitments. He spent a week at Resica Falls summer camp in Pennsylvania with his son’s troop and another week at Sea Base in the Florida Keys supporting coral reef sailing. Oscar remains active with the VMI alumni North Jersey Chapter and recently helped host a rat send-off with an impressive turnout of cadets headed to Lexington. One of them even came from Oscar’s own hometown, a great reminder of how VMI’s reach continues to grow.

Oscar shared updates on a few brother rats he’s stayed close with. Jared Kuhnhenn is doing well in Colorado with his wife and three kids and is looking forward to our 25th Reunion. Dan Lee is currently stationed overseas with his family and plans to retire soon and return to the U.S. Adam Woytowich, based in Louisville, is juggling work as a colonel at the U.S. Army’s HRC, travel, and family while preparing for retirement. And Ryan Colvin has already leaped, where he and his wife opened Halcyon Days Cider Company in Natural Bridge, Virginia. Oscar joked that he’s lobbying Ryan to bring in a Pigman’s BBQ food truck, promising to run the smoker himself once he’s retired!

Elijah Ward shared a great VMI moment while attending a Peninsula Pilots game in Hampton. While supporting Poquoson Little League teams, he crossed paths with Chris Riley, and the two enjoyed catching up after nearly 24 years. Elijah’s 10-year-old son, Sam, had a special experience of his own, running onto the field during player introductions with Kazuya Jordan ’26, a rising 1st Class cadet and second baseman. With four Keydets on the summer roster, it was a proud reminder of VMI’s continuing legacy on and off the field.

From New York City, Charlie Bunting shared that he helped relaunch the NYC Metro Chapter

of Merging Vets and Players, a nonprofit that connects military veterans and former pro athletes to support one another through life’s transitions. After being shut down during COVID, the chapter officially relaunched in June and is already making an impact. You can learn more at vetsandplayers. org. Outstanding work, Charlie!

Will Alley also wrote in with some exciting family and Institute news. He and his wife, Jessica, were recently selected to serve on the VMI Parents Council and will be supporting Matriculation Day for the Rat Mass of ’26+3. The following week, they’ll return to drop off their daughter as she begins her 3rd Class year. The Alleys plan to be in Lexington for football Saturdays this fall and welcome any BRs and families to stop by. “Just look for the tent with two Alley flags,” he added. Will also had the chance to reconnect with Steve Brown during the VMI football alumni weekend. “He’s still teaching, coaching, and doing really well,” Will shared. “It was great to see him and reminisce about the good ole days.”

As always, keep the updates coming, whether it’s a family milestone, a professional move, or a quick note from the road. Every story helps keep our class connected. I look forward to seeing many of you as we prepare for the 25th Reunion and sharing more in the next issue.

2002

Brother Rats,

I hope all of you are faring well these days! I did not receive any class notes this time around.

Please send me some! Again, I hope all is well with you and yours, and rah Virginia Mil!

In the Spirit, Salmaan

2003

William “Bill” Talley V

Brother Rats,

It’ll be November when this hits your mailbox toread,andwe’llbegettingreadytocelebratethe Institute’s 186th birthday.We’ll also be full speed ahead into the holiday season, so let me wish you alla happy and joyfulholidayseason!

Next, I must make a correction from my prior

set of notes. I incorrectly called BR Chris Kim Kuo-Rey Liang. I may have received a text or two about this error. I don’t know who was more offended, Chris or Kuo-Rey, but I’m sorry, BRs.

Finally, Chaz Wagner is in all but one of the pictures in this set of notes. What should that tell you? I need people other than Chaz to send me photos if you want a better variety. Chaz, thanks for always keeping me in the loop when you catch up with BRs; it’s much appreciated, brother!

Keeping on the Chaz train, big news was announced in July. Chaz and his wife, Briana, are expecting their first child, and he or she should be arriving around Christmas. Congratulations!

This will be a relatively short set of notes, as I haven’t received any reports per se since our last set. However, I do know that Brian Desautels assumed command of the 347th Rescue Group, based out of Moody AFB in Georgia, in July. Congrats, Brian!

Additionally, Doug Bahrns was selected to be the 15th Expeditionary Unit commander, and Brandon Turner was selected to be the commander of the MRTC MARFORSOC. Get some, Doug and Brandon!

Keeping on the professional track, Phil Harris made a career move and is now the vice president of strategic growth and private client advisory at Equidae Insurance. Way to go, Phil!

I was at a sporting clay shoot for the Richmond Chapter in July and saw signs that had BRs Joe Ziadeh, Justin Briggs, and Adam Britt’s names on them, as their companies were sponsors, but I didn’t see any of them!

Some exciting new changes were just announced, with retired USMC Lt. Gen. David Furness ’87 being appointed the Institute’s 16th superintendent, as well as a new look for Moe on the athletics branding side.

Life’s been chaotic as usual in our household with Savannah having just left to start her senior year at JMU. We now have no kids in elementary school, since Chappell is now a 6th grader, and Billy is a junior in high school.

That’s all I’ve got at this point, folks; hopefully, I’ll catch up with some of you at a football game this fall. Take care, be safe, and send me updates of what’s going on with your family. It’s not too late to do it after you read these! Get them to me by Nov. 13. Rah Virginia Mil, ’03, ’03, ’03!

Scott E. Campbell

Jim Bean retired from the Army May 31, 2025. His last assignment was with USARCENT. He writes, “Sami and I moved to Lansing, Kansas, and I began working for Serco on the MCTP contract at Fort Leavenworth June 9. I have been able to catch up with a few folks on MS Teams lately, including Jarod Parker, who just started at the War College, and Nate Joslyn, who just took command in Colorado.”

Andrew Hardin wrote from Texas: “John Ginder, J.B. Rosson, and I all went to Sandals Curacao with our wives for a week in July. We

all had an absolute blast—so much so that we booked another Sandals on St. Lucia for July 2026 ... we’d love to have others from the class join us!” This sounds like solid planning for a 25th Reunion!

Bree Guiterman was on board the USS Farragut Aug. 14, conducting an afloat cultural workshop. The Farragut’s CO is Cmdr. Andrew Timpner ’07

I caught up with Derek Raymond at Audi Field July 23. USA Rugby was in town. The women beat Fiji, and the men’s team lost to England.

Derek and his family just moved

back to the Fairfax, Virginia, area. He ran into OD the next day.

Lankin Board was passing through Richmond, and I caught up with him for dinner at Sine.

Greetings, Brother Rats!

After a spring marked by near-constant communication in the lead-up to our reunion, the past 6 months have been noticeably quieter with the big event now comfortably in the rearview mirror. The flurry of planning, updates, and shared anticipation gave way to the slower rhythm of post-reunion life. Still, while the tempo may have changed, there’s always something worth sharing,

remembering, or looking forward to as we continue to stay in touch beyond the big milestone. While reconnecting with many of you on post in April, there were so many instances where I thought to myself, “Make sure you include this in the next batch of notes!” Now, of course, I can’t seem to remember any of them. But don’t fret; there are still a few updates to pass along.

Derek Rankin writes in: “Since the reunion, I graduated from the Eisenhower School at National Defense University and got back to the real world/started my new job at the Defense POW/ MIA Accounting Agency in D.C. I was able to meet up with Josh Lyles for a guys’ night at his place. I also caught a Nats-Cubs game with Joe Pruce and Drew Stone. The good times continue to roll!”

I spent some time catching up with Phil Sauls at the reunion, and, thankfully, he wrote in to remind me what we covered! “I finished battalion command shortly after seeing everyone at the 2005 class reunion and the Sauls family made the cross

country move from Lemoore, California, to Stafford, Virginia. My daughter, Sydnee, graduated from high school in May and, after enlisting in the Army, began basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. I started school at the Marine War College, which will continue through next summer. Wishing all our BRs the best!”

I also spent time in April enjoying a few drinks with Phil Shapiro and meeting his lovely wife, Kirsten. Phil wrote in just before we gathered on post, but I did not have a chance to include his update until now. Phil officially retired from the Air Force at the end of March in a small ceremony with BRs Parker Mills and Ken Williams in attendance. Phil and Kirsten then relocated back to Lexington and assumed the role of defensive quality control coach for the VMI Keydet football team.

Speaking of retirements, after 20 years of service in the Marine Corps, BR Sam Johnson retired in July. Sam and his family are staying in Charlotte, North Carolina, where Sam runs a construction company and pet cremation business, as well as coaching football on the side. “Living the dream!” he says. Unfortunately, Sam missed our class reunion in April but passes along his best wishes to the class!

That’s all for now, BRs. Please keep those updates rolling in, as this newsletter entry would be very short without your help. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season, and as always, stay safe and be well.

Rah Virginia Mil!

Tom Hardinge

Brother Rats of the Outstanding Class of 2006, Robyn (Schaperjahn) Chatwood shared the following: “I hit 15 years active duty Army, was promoted to lieutenant colonel, and entered the trial judiciary as one of 24 active, active duty military judges. I always wear my ring in court. Big thanks back to the ‘I’ and our BRs.”

Will Maddox reported, “I’ve been living in Oklahoma City working in the Air National Guard as a combat systems officer (major), and I’m about to be initial cadre instructor weapons

systems officer for the newest Air Force Special Operations Command platform, the OA-1K reconnaissance aircraft. Mid-June, my family and I took a vacation down to Fort Walton Beach, Florida, and found out that Tom Bradford had moved there a few weeks before for a contract job at Eglin AFB as a mission planning software technician. We got together for a boat ride in Destin, Florida, and had dinner at his house. Everybody is doing well.”

Heather (Miras) Eide wanted the class to know: “I just wanted to send a few pictures from my recent CoC. I took command of 601st Aviation Support Battalion at Fort Riley, Kansas, July 22, 2025. We are part of 1ID Combat Aviation Brigade and leave for Europe next year. I have a few VMI grads in my formation, to include Captain Nico Nemceff ’20.”

Our 20th Reunion will be in April 2026. We are in the process of planning our events. If you have any suggestions or would like to help with the reunion planning, please let me know.

Until next time! Please keep the notes and pictures coming.

Your BR, Will

(this may shock my fellow engineering BRs, as well as most of the VMI engineering faculty). My postdoc is in pharmaceutical aerosols, where we’re working to efficiently deliver drugs to the lungs. Additionally, I’m pushing hard to become tenure-track faculty specializing in a field called ‘glymphatics,’ which is all about brain waste clearance (think Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, traumatic brain injury, etc.). I’ve gotten a tiny taste of success so far with some (lightly) funded work on preterm infants. I’ll aim for future updates just absolutely loaded with success and substance. If any of y’all are interested in how/why a 40-year-old transitions from industry to academia, I’m happy to chat (same with brain waste clearance if you’re a nerd like me).” It’s good to hear from you, Casey!

Laura (Hash) Chancellor

Whitney Matthews

Ryan Steptoe writes that he met up with BR Jeff Hamilton, who is now stationed in Norfolk, Virginia, and they ran the Marine Corps Half Marathon, then caught up over beers in Fredericksburg. Jeff and his wife, Danielle, are expecting their fourth child at the end of August 2025. Ryan also flew up to New York to visit Ray Mattia. They went to dinner in the city and attended a Dave Chappelle comedy show. In September, Ryan is heading down to visit Brant Priest’s new home that Brant just bought. They will be going goose hunting and catching up!

Mira Veis met up with Jackie Morton ’09 and Steve Nakazawa ’03 recently at the Nationals VMI college night in D.C. She writes, “It was a washout of a game but great to see an abundance of VMI alumni new and old representing and, of course, collecting their free VMI swag Nationals hat.”

Brother Rats,

The holidays are fast approaching, but I hope you enjoy reading these summertime updates!

Matthew Kania writes he has been indefinitely recalled back to active duty Navy. He is currently functioning as the effects deployment office director at PMA-201 (precision strike missiles) at Naval Air Station Patuxent River.

Casey Grey began his class notes with an apology for being fairly radio silent. He writes: “I’ve been doing well over the past 18 (!) years. I live in Richmond with my wife and two boys (3 and 5). Currently, I’m working as an adjunct professor and postdoc at Virginia Commonwealth University in the mechanical and nuclear engineering department

Josh Prible and family had an eventful summer trip to Alaska over the Fourth of July. Highlights included a 1-week cruise with their families/in-laws (including his father-inlaw, Eric Schwarz ’79), a glacier helicopter tour, and a week-and-a-half spent sightseeing and hiking through Homer, Seward, Talkeetna, and Denali National Parks.

Manuel “Cabby” Caballero traveled to Europe with his children, Isabella and Jacob, for a school trip. They visited several countries, including France and England, and had a wonderful time! Summer 2025 was busy for me, as my husband, Nate, and I got settled into our new home in Maryland. He is active duty Coast Guard and is now stationed at the Coast Guard Yard. There were so many boxes to go through! I did take a stroll down memory lane as I uncovered

Class Notes

several boxes of VMI uniforms. I was able to attend two rat send-offs—one in Virginia and one in Maryland.

Happy holidays to you and your families, along with best wishes for a happy 2026!

In the Bonds,

Whitney Matthews

Bert Williams recently took command of the 867th Attack Squadron. Based out of Creech Air

Force Base, Nevada, the 867th is part of the 732nd Operations Group and flies remote controlled aircraft around the world. Congrats, Bert!

Hannah and Kellan Travis welcomed a boy, Mackenzie St. Clair Travis, July 9, 2025, in Kansas City. Mackenzie tipped the scales at 8.1 pounds and measured 21 inches. Congrats to the Travis family!

Lt. Col Brandon DeLong took command of the 56th Civil Engineering Squadron back in June. The squadron is based at Luke Air Force Base outside of Phoenix, Arizona. Brandon is overseeing 350 personnel across six flights. Congrats, Brandon!

Joseph Swearingen was promoted to lieutenant colonel, United States Marine Corps. Joe was promoted by Brig. Gen. Joseph Katz, commanding general of the 4th Marine Logistics Group. Joe’s promotion in New Orleans was the first promotion his parents were able to witness since his commissioning on post 17 years ago. Congrats, Joe!

Chad Tobin was also promoted to lieutenant colonel, United States Army. Congrats, Chad!

2009

Bradley Simpson

Brother Rats:

I hope this edition of the Review finds you and your families well.

Isaac Putnam earned his Ph.D. in electrical engineering just in time to take over as materiel leader, hypersonic vehicles with AFRL, keeping them at WPAFB in Dayton, Ohio, for another 3 years.

Isaac and Corrie Putnam had the chance to catch up with Brendan Honeychuck ’12, as well

be expecting to see reunion pictures, all of which will be in the next edition.

So, I was starting the morning slog from the parking garage to my office one morning when someone tapped me on the shoulder with a, “Rah Virginia Mil, 2010!” When I turned around, I saw none other than Rachel Halnon. It’s sad when you work for a big enough company that you have a brother rat working there you’re completely unaware of!

Rachel has apparently been working here for 4 years, but all of her time has been spent down on the waterfront supporting nuclear testing, up until recently when she transferred to our non-nuke test department. Before that, she was in the Navy surface warfare community. She’s living right up the street from me in Newport News and has two dogs and a cat. Very small world—one of Rachel’s best friends is a girl I went to middle school with, who is also married to an alum from 2011. It’s wild how small the world is sometimes. Rachel has made it back to the “I” a few times since graduation, the last time being to attend Col. Brodie’s (Hon) retirement party. She is on the fence about coming back for the reunion; by the time everyone gets this, we’ll know if she made it!

I got the opportunity to catch up with James Hartzell over the last quarter. He’s currently living out in Kansas City, working at Fort Leavenworth “doing the bidding of Uncle Sam one slide at a time.” He said it’s a very exhilarating life! Lol. Jokes aside, he’s helping with force modernization, acquisition, and capabilities development in the Army. I’m hoping to get to catch up with James some over a beer during the reunion weekend.

as Brother Rats Dan Brewer, Brad Cooper, Phil Noonan, and Aaron Sayers at Jed Miller’s wedding to Katherine in June of this year. Isaac said it was a beautiful ceremony outside of Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Michael Harvey recently took over as the I&I for 6th ANGLICO at JBLM. Michael and family drove across the country taking in all the sights the country has to offer before making it to the West Coast. Erin reported that everyone made it across the country, and everyone is safe after being in the car that long.

Well, that about hits all the high points for this go around. Everyone please stay safe and keep on keeping on.

Chris Dommert

I feel like this is probably going to be the most disappointing Review we have for a significant period of time. The class notes are due in early August, and our reunion isn’t until September, so by the time this publishes in the fall, everyone will

I also got to chat with Audrey Falconi, who is currently living out in Washington state and has started her own medical practice in Tacoma since completing her active duty requirement last year with the Army. It sounds like Audrey had a hell of ride with the Army. She went to med school and then had the opportunity to do her residency in Hawaii at Tripler Army Medical Center, then worked as a battalion and brigade surgeon for an infantry and Stryker battalion. Her final stop was a fellowship in emergency medicine ultrasound, which is ultimately what took her to Washington state. Audrey’s business focuses on metabolic health and sports medicine services, performance optimization, and functional physical therapy, but it sounds like she also does some pretty sweet stuff with regenerative medicine and diagnostic ultrasounds. Audrey is also still a competitive person and said she is “addicted to competing.” She’s competed in CrossFit competitions, played some rugby; she has done some triathlons and HYROX races in there, too.

Jason Morgan is still living out in Roanoke, where he is a prosecutor. When he’s not busy doing B.A. prosecutor stuff, he keeps himself busy chasing his two kiddos around. His oldest, Silas, is 6, and his youngest, Hannah, was just born this past November. We both agreed that kids are awesome, a blessing to have, and something we really have to soak up while we can and before they’re grown.

Adam Aikens is living up in Fredericksburg, Virginia, where he is “living a blessed first-world life” with his family. Adam left active duty in 2018 and took up a reserve role before he was medically retired in 2021 after giving 11 years to the USMC as an infantry officer. Since being medically retired, Adam is working as the Marine Corps program manager for Trijicon. He and his wife, Laura, will be celebrating their 15th anniversary this year and have three baby girls he gets to come home to each evening. Adam shared he “absolutely loves being a girl dad” to Olivia (11), Piper (8), and Ruby (5). I love getting to see our brother rats happy and enjoying life to the fullest. Adam shared that he’s “just living a blessed first-world life here, my man! I have my dream job, a great work-life balance, and I get to see my family every day. And

that’s all that really matters to me.”

Scott MacDonald is also doing well and living in San Diego, California. He is still flying helicopters with the Navy and is married with two baby girls, Penelope and Harriet. I’m looking forward to seeing Scott at the reunion and getting to catch up on what else he has been up to over the last 15 years.

Carter Kunz reported that he is still doing great things in the Air Force. He’s currently in the process of transitioning from Osan AB in South Korea back to Moody AFB in Valdosta, Georgia, where he is still getting to fly A-10s. He’s married, and he and Jerica have two sons, Jace (8) and Cade (3). When he gets back stateside, he is going to be helping to drive his family across the country from Arizona to Georgia; I don’t envy making that drive with 2 young kids!

Chris received a picture and this update from Alex Houser: “Just looking to pass along a good photo I got this week with Jack Kielty in Annapolis while he was here for the Blue Angels air show during USNA’s graduation week. Haven’t seen him in 15 years, but it was as if no time had passed at all.”

2011

2011,

I hope everyone’s having a great year. Congrats to all our classmates pinning on lieutenant colonel in the military, but it sure makes me feel old!

John Manning, class president, made it back on post to celebrate his cousin. He commissioned in

the USAF and reported to Columbia, Mississippi, back in August. He’s only got a few months left to get in shape to climb the sentinel box at our 15th Reunion!

Aaron Castro and his wife, Brooke, moved to Dallas for 18 months and then returned to Phoenix in summer 2023. They were married Oct. 1, 2023, against the backdrop of the Papago Buttes at sunset. Jonathan Jackson ’13 stood as his best man. Brooke and Aaron took their honeymoon to Hawaii, staying on the big island north of Kona the week before the Ironman World Championships, and he says you could feel the magic. They then hopped over Oahu, where they stayed with Mitch Messick ’10 on Wheeler Army Airfield. He’s doing very well and was deputy G1 when they stayed with his family. He also saw his old wingman, Patrick Wolff (Hawaii ’09), who was working in the 25th ID G3/5 as a maneuver planner. Then, in July 2024, Brooke and Aaron bought their first home in North Mesa with a backyard for their mini-American Shepherd, Ethan, to run around. He just finished his fifth season full-time

with Major League Rugby and was promoted to director of competitions in April.

Zach Kier has been providing some amazing medical support as part of a frontline evacuation team for victims of ISIS. He recently ran into Nic Williams, who is a real estate agent in Alaska.

Matt Talbott headed back to Hooptown USA for a weekend, where he let me know he’s still banned from Chanellos pizza delivery 15 years later. He laughed, “People don’t forget.”

Carry On, Tom Pace

2012

Bruce Howard

Brother Rats, By the time this edition comes out, it will be fall; however, there are plenty of updates from the summer months, so let’s catch everyone up.

Tyler Brown has been in Texas for the past few years. Since 2023, he has found a home in Austin and recently got engaged this past January. He and his fiancée, Breanne, will actually be newlyweds by the time we are reading this. Their wedding is scheduled for October, so congratulations to the happy couple! Matthew Dickinson recently started a new job as the political deputy to the administrator for public procurement policy in the Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of the President. Congratulations on the new job, and if anyone has ties with other VMI grads in the Office of Management and Budget, tell them to look out for Matt!

Samantha Henke and her husband, Zach Henke ’11, recently PCS’d and moved their family back to Fort Bragg, North Carolina. She will be serving as the VMI Alumni Association Cape Fear – Fayetteville Chapter president. If any alumni are in the area, make sure to reach out for upcoming events. Congrats on the move, Sam. I wish you and your family the best!

Mike Bowman was sighted during a rare encounter in Alexandria. He mostly spends his days chasing errant golf balls in Mount Vernon but made time for a beer with fellow ECBU Brother Rat Ben. After a few rounds, all was well in the world, as they both agreed the top porch of Macado’s should be on the agenda for a follow-on happy hour. In July, Justin

Dwight, Quinn Adams, and Ben met down in Virginia Beach for the second annual “Quinnfest.” In true Keydet fashion, they took over a WLU house (thanks to friend of the class, Brandon Alred) where all three spent the weekend coaching cousins Emerson Dwight and Ambrose Adams, prospective cadets for VMI Class of 2043, on their future admissions essays. Ben continued the BR reunions with Will Wild during a weekend in Richmond later that July. Will was getting through the dog days of summer with

long trips to the swimming pool, backyard grilling, and growing his amp collection, although Laura Wild is less than thrilled with Will’s collection. Unlike Ambrose and Emerson, Will’s daughter, Annie, proclaimed she would be attending WLU for her college years. Apparently, she wasn’t interested in VMI after her dad’s stories. Thanks to Ben for these detailed updates, as always, and glad to hear all of you are continuing to make great memories together! Will Wild was performing with his band, Murder Factory, in Richmond over the summer. He was greeted with a welcome party consisting of David Yost, Quinn Adams, and Justin Dwight. Do me a favor, Will; let us know when the band is headlining the Allianz Theater downtown!

I was fortunate this past summer to spend some vacation time with fellow BRs on two separate occasions. Kippur Taylor and his family met up with my own at the beach in South Carolina. I think I’m going to have to keep my boys from fighting over his beautiful daughter in the future. My wife and I are grateful for the days we all spent together with the Taylors before they headed back to California. After a brief stay in Virginia and South Carolina, they are now living back outside of San Francisco. So, anyone in the Bay Area, be sure to reach out. Also, I was able to spend some time with both Wayne Whiting and his family, as well as Drew Stahling and his family, while in Montana. Not to call anyone out, but after Drew jumped in like a pro managing cows, and then Wayne’s wife, Holli, grabbed a brand without hesitation, I think Wayne felt the need to “get his hands dirty,” as well. It’s not every day you get to show your BR how to brand some cattle, so lifelong memories were made that day... and Wayne made sure he wasn’t shown up by his wife. We had a great time getting together as families on the other side of the Rockies. I appreciate Drew and Wayne taking the

time and effort to come out West and getting the families together!

Finally, an update near and dear to our hearts is one in regard to Kyle Hofstetter. We are coming up on a year since his passing due to his battle with cancer. Kyle was relentless in his fight, and as a way to honor his legacy, a scholarship has been created in his name, the Kyle Hofstetter ’12 Relentless Lacrosse Scholarship. The scholarship has quickly been a success in the

Class Notes

thousands already raised in such a short time. I encourage everyone to support this scholarship and honor not only the life he led but the legacy he left.

I greatly appreciate all those who sent information to share with the class. If I’m ever lacking on quality content, just know I can pull from social media posts ... this is your warning. I look forward to hearing from more of you before the next edition. Take care and until next time!

In the Bonds, Bruce

2013

Rob&AnnieMarieIncontro

Michael Scaplehorn

Attention, inside and outside of class notes, VMI Class of 2013 has been busy making future Keydets! Congratulations to all our BRs who are new moms and dads and growing their families. We will highlight a few we have heard from in this set of notes, but if we missed your new progeny, just let us know, and we will add you next time. Reach out to us, as well, if you need help applying to receive a provisional appointment for your children or family members. Hope everyone enjoyed their summer, got their kids back to school without any truancy violations, and are enjoying some pumpkin spice-related products. We had a few folks check in with

us, and here is what we found out: Happy to receive correspondence from Austin DeMoss, who, of course, you remember, is one of our b-bustin’ Bravo Company bubbas. He is currently living in Ashburn, Virginia, outside of Washington, D.C., with his lovely wife and two

daughters, 2-and-a-half and 6 months old. He is making us all proud and has been serving our nation in the Secret Service over the past 9 years. He just returned from Abu Dhabi, UAE, where he drove President Trump all around, including to the royal palace, Qasr Al Watan. Keep up the great work, Austin, and stay safe out there!

Maj. Eddie Chang sent in a couple of pictures showing a mini reunion with some of our BRs and other alumni graduating from the United States Army Command and General Staff College and School of Advanced Military Studies back in May 2025 in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Congratulations to our BRs Majs. Eddie Chang, Alex Adkins, Quentin Sweetser, Will Splees, Ben Waterbury, Frank Overstreet, Rob Dilley, Matt Dudek, Ike Williamson, Nathan McFadden, and Nathan Beck, and Republic of China Army Maj. Allen Chen. Additionally, congratulations to Majs. Michael Kim ’09, Franklin Benegas ’12, Chris Hooks ’14, T.J. Curl ’14, Ben Kier ’14, Andy Eddleton ’14, and Quentin O’Neal ’14.

Caught up with Lt. Cmdr. Joshua Lawrence right before his transfer to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM)-51 based out of Atsugi, Japan. He made sure to let us know he would be drinking some sake in honor of all the memories at Tong Dynasty (IYKYK).

We got a great message from one of our blood and guts Golf, CE bros, Clay Strong. His wife Tiffany delivered a happy baby boy, Colsen Reid, back in March.

The family is doing well out in Texas. Congrats to the Strong family!

Congratulations to Lt. Cmdr. Xavier Scott and his wife, Megan, on the arrival of their daughter, Eliana Christine Scott. Emorrett, their older son, received an on-the-spot promotion to big brother and is already an EP (early promote) performer. Xavier is currently flying with HSM-52. Congratulations to the Scott family!

Logan Sorensen and his wife, Taylor, welcomed their daughter, Penelope Lane, in June. The entire family is settling in well. Congratulations to the Sorensen family!

Thomas Dumville, and his wife, Kara, had their son, Theodore, in June, as well. We are happy that they, too, are settling into the new family of three well. Congratulations to the Dumville family!

In addition to graduating from CGSC, and being promoted to major, Franklin Overstreet and his wife, Caroline, welcomed their second child, Johanna Elizabeth, to the world. We are sure big brother David is doing an outstanding job in his new role. Frank is now at Shaw AFB in South Carolina, beginning a new chapter in acquisitions. Congratulations to the Overstreet family on several big changes!

Finally, Adam Hedio and his wife, Alyssa, welcomed their third son, Walter, into the world in July. Big brothers Abraham and Harry are handling their roles incredibly well, and the family of five is healthy and happy. Congratulations to the Hedio family!

Welcome Colsen, Eliana, Penelope, Theodore, Johanna, and Walter; we are so glad you’re here!

Maj. Bill Wine and his wife, Lt. Cmdr. Natasha Neiman, finished up tours in Bahrain and are now stationed at SOCOM in Tampa, Florida, working within the J6 and J7 staffs, respectively. They are living the high-speed, low-drag spec ops life!

Lt. Cmdr. Mike Scaplehorn and his family recently PCS’d back to Gulfport, Mississippi, where he is back serving with the Seabees at Naval Construction Group Two in the operations department.

Maj. Fritz Dawson completed Internationale Vierdaagse Afstandsmarsen Nijmegen (The International Four Day Marches Nijmegen), which is a grueling 108 miles held annually in Nijmegen, Netherlands, and earned his Vierdaagsekruis (Cross of the Four Days Marches), an official Dutch royal decoration awarded to those who successfully complete the event.

Corps memory: Remember standing there all formed up straining in Third Barracks? We had just endured a freezing, slippery, exhausting day of sandbag hell. At this point, straining was second nature; holding the position was nothing. Not like the first strain with backs and necks cramping, esophagus crumpled. All of a sudden, breaths steamed the chilled air around us. From the sentinel box, the RDC president yelled, “Rats, let out your chins.” Remember that feeling? The elation of breaking out and becoming a class. Rah Virginia Mil!

Honored to serve you and proud to call each of you, brother rat.

Until next time!

Annie, Rob, and Mike

BRs!

By the time you read these notes, it will have been over 1 year since we had our 10th Reunion. Man, the time is flying on by. Seems just like yesterday we were finalizing last-minute details on the reunion and putting the finishing touches to our swag bags. As I write these, we are in the last month of summer and getting ready to bring in the fall. I don’t know about y’all, but this year has flown by for me. Before you know it, many of y’all will be getting calls and messages from me about joining the 15th Reunion committees—2029 will be here before you know it! But let’s get into the fun BR updates on the days of our lives. I will start off the class notes with some fun and exciting news!

Jonathan Reardon, Matt Reardon, and I did a mini “race-cation” to Chattanooga, Tennessee, for the 70.3 Ironman. Sadly, they canceled the swim due to all the rain we had that week, but even

with the swim being canceled, it was a great race! According to my tracker, the bike was 57 miles, and the run was 13.5 miles, so we covered over our 70.3, but heck fire, what is a swim when you are among BRs. Hahaha! We ran into James Singleton ’15 at the race; this was his first one. This was the twins’ first Ironman race, too, so let’s give all three a round of applause!

Speaking of triathlons, Bronson Cocke’s

daughter, Dalton, did her first triathlon at the Altavista Area YMCA. Bronson, I can see her soon trying out for the USA Olympics team in just a few years!

Also, back in May, a bunch of BRs held a get-together to celebrate New Market Day and 11 years since graduation. Andy Eddleton, Ben Kier, Abby (Dawson) Waterbury, Quentin O’Neal, T.J. Curl, Zach Wilkinson, and Matt Lawson were repping well at Fort Leavenworth.

Near the end of May, James Ethington had a big cause for celebration. His adorable daughter, Aurora, graduated from kindergarten. Congratulations, Auroa, and congratulations to James for raising such a smart and spunky young lady!

Going into June, Joe Kohm hit the big leagues! He was a panelist for a panel discussion sponsored by the Federal Trade Commission on protecting kids and families online. Joe, you did an incredible job and did great with answering questions and providing some excellent input for the discussion. Keep up the amazing work! Before you know it, we will see you serving on the bench.

After Joe and I caught up, I got a message from Cameron Dunnavant. He is in his last year of law school, which he is super excited about. I told him I have been toying with the idea of going to law school when I finish up my time on city council. I just wish that William & Mary had a part-time law school program. Anyway, we are incredibly proud of your success, Cameron, and looking forward to that graduation picture. Wink, wink! Hahaha!

Talking about great success, Justin Vernon got promoted to major Friday, June 20, at Fort Lee. If that wasn’t enough to celebrate, he also picked up his EOD Master Badge. Congratulations, Justin, on your continued success and great achievements; you continue to be the shining star of Mad Dog Delta. Super proud of you, BR! And one more shout-out: Congratulations to you and Courtney on 9 years of marriage! Nine down and an eternity to go!

Near the end of June, Nick Longaker finished his fun trip to Costa Rica. He got to meet up with a lot of his friends from the States and Iceland. Not to forget, he got in lots of swimming and scuba diving. Also in June, Eva Edelbrock made a grand appearance back to

the racing scene after being in recovery mode for the past several months from her surgery. She had a phenomenal 5K race in Northern Virginia with a crushing 7-minute, 39-second mile pace. She took home second place overall for females 30-39. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Eva was reborn into a fiercer and more savage racer. She has recently earned the new name Eva “Takes No Prisoners” Edelbrock!

I got a great update from Patrick Purington He is doing exceptionally well. As I am typing these notes, he is in the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center program, where he is training to be a law enforcement officer for the National Park Service. By the time you read these notes, he will have graduated (Aug. 5)and started working at the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Historic Park in Maryland. Congratulations on a job well done, and a special thank you for your service with the National Park Service and keeping these gems alive for future generations.

Also more great news! Jonathan Rumbaugh took command of D. Co. of the 3-116th. Congratulations and best wishes for a successful command; there is no better job in the Army than being a company commander!

As you all have probably heard by now, we lost one of the brightest personalities and highest-energy BRs in July. Parker Cantelou passed away. While he may not be with us physically anymore, his love and spirit will always be with us. He leaves behind a tremendous legacy, one filled with passion, love, and

service. Parker, you will truly be missed. At the end of July, Tom Bower finished his tour at the Coast Guard Station in Seattle. He and his wife are now headed to San Diego for grad school at the University of California. So if anyone is in the SoCal area, give Tom a call. Also at the end of July, Christian Addison hit the big leagues! He accepted the position of vice president of football at the National Sports Agency, one of the most respected boutique firms in the game, led by Harold Lewis.

Congratulations, Christian, on this huge, new position. Keep up the awesome work! While at the Virginia Beach Armory during my drill weekend, I got a nice message from Sam Guidry. He and a bunch of the “Chuck Co – Bro Co” bros had a fun summer meet up on the river. It was the first time in a long time where Sam Busch, John McQuade, Sam Guidry, Jon Mattingly, and Ben Smith were all able to get together ... and for what an opportunity! They celebrated Cameron’s engagement!

Soon, Cameron will be tying the knot! Congratulations, Cameron! Here’s to a beautiful wedding.

To round out and finish up the notes, Jonathan Vignali has had a lot of big life events! His wife just gave birth to their second son, Charlie. His big brother, Jack (18 months old), is still getting used to him. I see a war for attention starting, lol! He got out of the Army back in June; moved to Charlottesville, Virginia; and started working as a hospitalist and assistant professor of medicine at UVA hospital. His wife will be working there, as well, starting this fall. They are super excited to be back in Virginia close to family and BRs! Welcome back to the Old Dominion, Jonathan! Couple of quick reminder admin notes and refreshers!

Please take note of my new email: jpartin2014@gmail.com. My old email has been retired.

Please make sure that you update your contact/mailing information with the Alumni Association. This helps us with sending our birthday and Christmas cards, reunion planning, BR event outreach, etc. I am getting a few return cards from y’all, and I don’t want y’all to feel left out.

Please make sure you are taking time out of your schedule to spend time with friends, family, neighbors, and loved ones. Life is too short to ignore the people you love and care about. With the holidays coming up, reach out to a BR and wish them a grand holiday season!

With that, I will leave you all to enjoy your Thanksgiving, Christmas, and new year. Here’s to another spectacular year, BRs! Cheers!

Johnny “Party” Partin

2016

MurphyKerner

HunterMorgan

Keydets,

I’m writing this in August, just ahead of our reunion. Nervous and excited to see everyone; it’s going to be weird after 10 years! Should

be a great time.

Casey White and her husband, A.J., welcomed their second daughter, Charlotte Elizabeth, 6 weeks early June 9. After a short stay in the NICU, she got to come home and be with her big sister, Abigail. Congratulations, Casey! Mitchell and Tess White have made it back to Virginia! As of writing this, Mitchell will have begun teaching for a hybrid private homeschool program. They’re looking forward to seeing everyone at the reunion!

Kyle McCarthy and his wife are expecting their first child in February of next year. Exciting!

It was great to hear from Dylan Bolden, who shared he hasn’t sent any updates since graduation and figured it was worth it given the 10th Reunion is coming up! Dylan graduated from VCU in 2021 with a master’s in data science, then left Richmond to head back to Powhatan. He later bought his dream car, to then sell it in exchange for a faster one! He is president of a chapter for one of the largest auto clubs in the country (Headturners). Dylan now has an 18-month-old girl and 4-and-a-half-yearold boy. Finally, this past year, he got out of the contractor world and moved into an FTE at Capital One as a cyber data engineer. Thanks for all the updates, Dylan!

Luke Bijelic graduated from the Harvard Kennedy School this past May with a master’s degree in public administration and graduate certificate in management, leadership, and decision sciences. After graduation, he moved from Massachusetts to NOVA/D.C. and joined the Trump administration as a special assistant and political appointee in the DoD. Congrats on everything, Luke!

That’s all for this set of notes. Be well, friends!

Hope everyone had a great summer. We didn’t receive a lot of notes this go around, so if you have any updates, big or small, please send them our way!

A few awards to note. Meredith Baldasare took home several awards at her company’s national sales meeting. She works with fellow Keydet Withers “Buzzy” Moncure ’76. Jordan White recently completed the full suite of forklift certifications, Class 1-5, in Owensboro, as well as specialty product certification. Congrats, Jordan and Meredith!

Our 10th Reunion is coming up next fall, will be great to get back together with everyone. More to come in the next few months, but the reunion will be the full weekend. If anyone is interested in helping plan the weekend, please reach out.

While most of these notes are dedicated to reporting high points and celebrations that are sent in, they are also to remember any of our brother rats who have passed on. Unfortunately, we lost another classmate since the last Review. Mark Armstrong passed away this August in Aurora, Colorado. He was survived by his wife. After graduating from VMI, Mark got his master’s degree at the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin, Germany. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Please reach out if you have any updates or want to help join in on planning for the reunion! RVM ’16.

Chelsea, is actually an Air Force officer, too. She had been over at Squadron Officer School while I was stationed in Alabama. Small world! We discussed deployed life, the folks who have separated from military service and gone bravely into the civilian world, life here in Doha, etc. Mr. Marta also told me that J.T. Lancaster ended up becoming a pilot in the Air Force and did a little time in Japan. I’m going to have to give him a call and see what else is new there!

Operational Intelligence branch at the Pentagon. He should be transferring to be a Navy aerospace engineering duty officer in the fall, so maybe about the time you have this issue in your hands! Jack and his wife, Lauren, are also expecting their first daughter this summer! Man, you definitely have a full schedule! Best of luck with it all!

Michael P. Griffin

These notes cover the period from May 16–Aug. 15, 2025.

Hey, all! Welcome back! What a summer it has been! I am still in Qatar, and as I write this, I’m currently in my flack vest and helmet waiting for one of the neighboring countries to decide if and how they want to restructure the world map. Such experiences make me think of the guarantees we all have in our occupations and life as a whole. Many of you have heard that there are few things in life that are guaranteed. The most commonly cited ones are death and taxes, but you, my friends, are lucky enough to have a third guarantee: That each quarter you will receive this lovely publication courtesy of “Mother I!” So, no matter what is happening in the immediate vicinity, my job is, first and foremost, to chronicle your lives from afar. Does this make me another Lemony Snicket? Maybe I should start posting clues as to where the Alumni Agencies can find my hidden notes. I’ll ponder the logistics of that later on; for now, let’s get to the good stuff!

Last quarter, we left off with an update from the Littlefields, having newly welcomed their son, John, into the world. As promised, this next set of notes starts with updates from Mike Marta. Mike sent me an email (telling me he was in receipt of a certain exclusive mag) just before the last notes closed out. As always, love to hear that you all are getting the notes! Mike is with the 75th now, and he and his family are down at Fort Benning. (Is it still Benning?) As we got to talking, I found out that his wife,

I got updates on a few other BRs that Mike keeps tabs on, too. Pete McMahon is a Green Beret at Fort Bragg, and apparently, Matt Lombardi and Eric Inman are both still trucking along in the Army. I have been trying to find those two for months! Matt and Eric, if you’re reading this, give me a call and let me know what’s new in your worlds! Thanks for all the updates, Mike! Sierra (Sell) Hetrick and I chatted in late May. She is doing well and offered to assist with the reunion when we get a little closer. I appreciate it and will definitely let you know where we can use your help. Man, that’s coming up kind of soon, too. Looking forward to seeing you there! Bryan Wade messaged me briefly around the same point. Sorry I couldn’t chat for too long, but I hope you and the family are all doing well back stateside! When I get back in October, we will have to catch up in person!

Coleman Wright and I got to chat for a little bit. He was kind enough to help me update the class roster a little bit while he gears up for his own deployment somewhere in CENTCOM. This is his second deployment; evidently, the first was to Japan a few years back. Enjoy it and be safe out there!

Grant LaRock and I sent one or two messages back and forth in our Facebook chat. May was filled with a lot of short conversations just due to the workload at Al Udeid. Looking forward to hearing more when I get back, BR!

Nick Williams messaged to let me know he was moving. He has been out in California for a bit now and is newly engaged! Congrats, BR! But that’s not all! It looks like the move is to allow him to pursue a Ph.D. at Berkeley. The guy’s been busy out there. Good luck with the move and the new program!

Jack Hanks and I talked for a bit recently. He is still in the Navy and working on finishing up an MBA at Chapel Hill. He works intel for the Navy as a briefer/analyst. It sounds like he works on some pretty cool subject matter (though I’m only privy to the extremely sanitized version), as his briefings are for the secretary of the Navy and the chief of naval operations for the Navy’s

After being wished well by Jack (sidenote, did you know he deployed to Bahrain a few years back? Talk about cool deployments!) I got a surprise Facebook message from Matt Coleman. Matt was one of my co-dykes years ago and lives abroad in Germany now. Evidently, I was able to properly address his birthday card, so it actually made it to him! Only needed four stamps! While my initial conversation with Matt was stalled by Air Force shenanigans, I did notice that he had some guitars in the background of the picture he sent me. Glad you’re still playing! Apparently, he has been caught up in training exercises, as well, but should be getting a visit from Ben Kier ’14 and Brandon Dodd ’14 soon! In addition, Matt was a part of the large-scale multinational exercise, Defender Europe, which is conducted on an annual basis. Hope it went well. Seems you’re keeping quite busy over across the pond! Looking forward to talking again in the near future!

I heard from the whole Bottoms clan in late May/early June. They’re always making sure I’m not getting into trouble. Cody Bottoms actually reached out to check on me a few times this spring. Unfortunately, my availability had been very limited at this point. I had intended to stop by while driving back to the East Coast just before I deployed, but regrettably, outside factors prevented that. While we usually try to get online and game together every month or so, the DoD says we have to devote all our off hours to Uncle Sam, too. Work-life balance is ever a challenge, isn’t it? Anyway, I ended up reaching out to him as I came to a kind of personal crossroads. For those who remember all the way back in 2013–17, Cody Bottoms, Matt Johnson, Mack Shehee, Zach Bugalla, Joe Baumann, Malcolm Thomas, and Ashley McManus were the typical crowd I hung out with. Obviously, I hung out with many others (don’t be sad if I left you off!), but these were the most frequent. Cody was, and is, in many ways the strength of that group. Sometimes compared to Doc Holiday from “Tombstone,” he gives you the hard truth and is a dedicated supporter of those closest to him. He may not like that I’m singing his praises publicly here, but I wanted to say thanks. I truly appreciate the sounding board! As the

conversation transitioned from serious subjects to more relaxed ventures, we got into updating each other on our hobbies and interests. Cody got to see some early work for a comic that I’m writing, and I got to see Max, his and (probably even more so) Amanda’s very feisty dog. Speaking of Mrs. B, I heard from her shortly thereafter. Thanks for the well wishes! Last of the clan was Lin, Cody’s dad. He very kindly let me know that it was 49 degrees for him in Virginia, and the same for me in Qatar! Wild! ... granted, mine was in Celsius. He had been planning to go out to Missouri for Cody’s change of command when we spoke. I hope the visit and the event went well! Thanks for touching base, all!

Josh Littlefield and I talked a bit around this point, too. He and Allison (Partin) Littlefield were moving back to Chester, Virginia, in June with their (then) 3-monthold son, John Patrick. Josh is now working at Fort Gregg-Adams at CASCOM, having completed his command time back in February, while Allison got an engineering job in Richmond. Being that it truly is a small world, that engineering job is with the same company Riley Morgan works at! Josh is coming up on his major selection timeframe, as I imagine many of us are. Wow, that’s a terrifying thought that some of us degenerates are going to be wearing oak leaves soon ... Ah, what’s the worst that could happen? Capt. Littlefield is killing it, though; that promotion makes sense in my book! Matt Johnson and I talked for a bit in the May/ June timeframe. He had been very good checking in on me since it was taking me abnormally long to reply. I have a few “R U alive?” messages on my phone, haha. Matt is back in command at another unit but doesn’t seem to be playing with explosives as much as he would like. Such is the challenge of us all getting old enough to wear oak leaves, I guess ... the job gets a bit duller. Regardless, he is killing it out there in the Virginia area, and I look forward to another visit in 65 days or so! In true form, messaging from Matt

Johnson is closely followed, or preceded by, messages from Cody Bottoms. We talked on and off about life in Missouri and the state of things in the desert. At this point, my truck had died, resulting in the logistics squadron telling me to “FITFO” (Help received: John Griffin ’23) for a (then) undetermined period of time. My solution to that was to get a bicycle, but bikes were somewhat limited on Al Udeid at the time, so I managed to find a tricycle with a large basket on the back, which beats walking in 124-degree heat. I christened it “War Horse” and rode around like a clown in a war zone for a week or two. Unfortunately, War Horse was

an unreliable steed and broke down in the heat of battle quite often. Eventually, I gave up and started thumbing rides around the base like it was 1967, which worked surprisingly well until my truck was returned. Cody’s change of command went well, and the new job seems to offer a bit more consistency in workload, which is good. He is teaching combat engineers about ordnance ID and a few other key points as part of the curriculum over there. Beyond that, Cody recently took a trip with his wife, Amanda, to Virginia to pick up some things from his parents and cart them back to Missouri. Hope it was a fun road trip!

It was at this point that that aforementioned “restructuring” of the neighborhood took place. I am convinced it was a deliberate attempt by foreign powers to sabotage my proactive efforts on this publication. You see, at the midpoint of June, my efforts to finish up my notes early seemed feasible. Mary Price from the Alumni Agencies is always so kind to take my notes at the last minute, and I was determined to do better this time. Well, then the 12-Day War happened, and guess what? I paused the whole process and didn’t get back to it until Aug. 14! So, I now have to contend with procrastination and foreign acts of aggression. Let’s be honest, though, procrastination was still the bigger factor here. Well, procrastination and one seriously unpleasant sickness that I contracted from some bad local food. Ever had a fever and other sickness-type symptoms in a desert? 0 of 10, do not recommend. All that said, I’m still a liberal arts major ... if you only have a minute, it only takes a minute. If you’re reading this now, we made it work! So anyway, when I finally got back to replying to people and writing these notes, I started off responding to Luca Melendez ’18. He had joined the Air Force a little later as a medical type; as such, he was ripe for Squadron Officer School this year and on his way back to Maxwell AFB in Alabama. Unfortunately, I am very far from the States and not assigned to Maxwell anymore,

but it was still good to hear from him! Shortly thereafter, I got a surprise text from Gabe Hammock, who had received his birthday card from VMI. Glad it made it to you, man! Or whoever picks up your mail! Gabe is also deployed right now, to where is anyone’s guess, but he seems to be doing well and has gotten used to eating “street meats.” Hang in there, BR! Six months is somehow both long and short at the same time. Two more Alumni Reviews and you’ll be headed home! Keep in touch!

Devon Kirk surprised me with a text, as well, looking to understand the networking side of VMI and how to get in touch with a few folks from the class. We talked for a while about the VMI app and all the great features it has for reconnecting with lost BRs. If you were not tracking the app, go check it out! It’s called “VMI Mobile Alum” and is a great platform even for stuff outside of the class, like getting you in touch with local alumni chapters around the country/world. Speaking of connections around the world, I’ve had the benefit of such networks while here in Qatar! Before I came out here, I was put in touch with a VMI grad named Steve Amato ’83, who had been stationed at Al Udeid years prior. He kindly provided me with some local contacts to help me out while deployed. While world events and ops tempo prevented much of that local visitation, it was a huge help to know there was a support system locally if needed, so huge thanks to him for setting that up for me! Another such contact has been Dan Sweeney ’80, a classmate of my father and neighbor of my parents, Pat and Beth Griffin ’80. When I stopped through in Lynchburg on my way to the rotator back in March/April, we chatted about future plans after the deployment. Some of that conversation has continued while I am out here in Qatar. As always, I really appreciate his advice and look forward to chatting more when I get back to the States.

Matt Johnson and I chatted again in mid-August. Evidently, he had neglected to tell me during our last call that he and his wife, Alyssa, had gotten together with Mack and Deelan Shehee for a Savannah Bananas game in D.C. a few months back. Looks like it was a fun event and a good excuse to get the band back together. Thanks for making sure we got an alibi for the Review! Brad Nardella found me next. He lives out in Philly now and has been in the area for a bit but had moved into a new place recently. I am happy to say the brainwashing is working, though, as he was compelled to give

Class Notes

me the updated address within the same quarter. Brad still manages to work as a lacrosse coach for his side hustle, which always makes me think back to that time Delta Co. went to W&L to see their game back when we were rats. Good to hear from you, bro rat! With that, I think I’m all caught up ... This isn’t a full set of notes, though; I’m still a bit short. Better check Facebook Messenger again; I wouldn’t want to cheat you guys! One moment, I’ll be right back.

Pause for dramatic effect ... Ah, there was one missed BR. Let’s rewind slightly back to June for a quick flashback update. Warren Jackson messaged me on his way back to Germany. He is stationed at Fort Bragg but was currently mid-rotation overseas, which led me to ask, “Why the mid-tour travel?” Well, it turns out Warren and his wife, Abigail, had just welcomed their first child, Waylon, and Warren was able to get home for the birth. Really glad that they could work that for you, man! Warren should be back stateside for good in July. Some of you may have even visited with the newly expanded Jackson family prior to reading this update! Now this would have been the end of the notes, but we have to fast-forward again; I know, this is giving me whiplash, too. Last time, I promise. Just as I was about to hit send on these notes, I got an unexpected email from Mr. Johnny Partin ’14 Evidently, he had met up with Cabell Willis ’14, Brandon White, Bethany (King) White ’18, and Luke Phillips at ZZQ (which he tells me is a hot BBQ joint in Richmond) for a fun lunch back in the summer. Everyone had a great time catching up and sharing stories. Don’t take my

word for it, though; check out the accompanying photo nearby! Thanks, Johnny! Just like that, we have reached our conclusion for this quarter. I know, it isn’t quite as full as normal but cut me some slack, and I’ll be back to pester you with texts and calls this winter! As always, thanks for taking the time to answer my messages and reach out to me to volunteer your updates! It was much appreciated—this quarter, in particular. With all that has been happening out here in Qatar, there was a good chance this set of notes could have been pretty sparse. With that in mind, I ask you this one favor: Keep it up! If I’m MIA, don’t stay quiet! Seek me out, send out a BOLO, bombard me with messages, and keep me accountable! You know you can’t trust those English majors; we are notorious procrastinators ... but seriously, thank you. Until next time, rah, ’17!

2018

Will

Woodward

ReaganGoulla

Brother Rats, I hope all of you are doing well and have

enjoyed your summer. It has been busy here in Virginia for me, but I can report that all of the 2024–25 birthday cards were sent out, and I am waiting on the next shipment of the 2025–26 cards as of writing this now. For those of you who have not received them, don’t worry; it isn’t a call asking for money. Also, if you have not received a birthday or holiday card, please update your address with VMI for next year (vmialumni.org/ ranks) and send me a message so I don’t use the provided sticker address.

between the class officers, we selected Jordan Farmer and Manning Fisher to represent us as class agents. As we move forward, we aim to take a wider team approach to ease the burden on class agents and get as many BRs involved as possible. This theme came up in every interview we conducted and reflects the mentality of our class to stay connected with one another and make a difference as a class.

In other news, VMI has been going through some updates. They are adding a low barrier wall around the Parade Ground to prevent vehicle intrusions during parades and formations. There are still openings for people to park there for tailgating and for cadets to cross the parade field between classes. This is just a security upgrade.

Another update seen around the post is the windows of barracks were all ripped out and replaced. No longer will cadets need to duct tape pizza boxes to the windows to cover up the broken pane or chipped wood frame.

Some updates from the class: Alex Warren welcomed his daughter, Corrine Eloise Lissoni Warren, April 14, 2025.

Some interesting news y’all might want to keep an eye out for: Our dykes had their 10th Reunion Sept. 5–6. Hopefully, a dyke line reunion is in order for some of us. I’ll be making sure I get out there to see my dyke and will drag my rat along with me.

On that note, our own 10th Reunion is rapidly approaching, as well. So as you all are making plans and such for your moves, trips, and family visits, keep September 2028 in mind. You can ask your dykes; it crept up on them faster than they thought.

I hope you all had a great summer and will continue to have a great fall. Feel free to reach out if you have any updates for the class.

Rah ’18, Woody and Reagan

Brother Rats,

As most of you already know, Annika Tice and Nate Mumford decided to step away from their roles as class agents. We are incredibly grateful for their 6 years of service since graduation. After asking the class for volunteers to fill these roles in late May, the class officers were inspired by the enthusiasm from the many BRs who volunteered to give their time and energy to the class. After interviews and consideration

As we welcome Manning and Jordan to their new roles, we asked each of them to share some life updates. We hope hearing what some of our BRs have done since graduation inspires more of you to share your unique stories and experiences with the class and the larger VMI community.

Manning spent 3 years with the Virginia State Police following graduation before pursuing a variety of other career opportunities between 2021–24. In August 2023, Manning and his wife, Nicole, welcomed their son, Noah. After having their son, they moved back home to the Raleigh area. Manning is working as a fireman with the Wake Forest Fire Department, where he has been assigned to Engine Company 3 for the past year.

Manning fondly recounted how he has stayed connected with fellow alumni. Ryan Edsall and Eli Facemire both stood up in his wedding,

along with many other BRs in attendance. Another large group of 1-9ers assembled for Ben Cordle’s wedding. Recently, Manning and Tyler Bernero attended the Central North Carolina alumni chapter’s rat send-off. Manning also highlighted the many alumni he has served with over the years, including A.J. Bradt ’20 and Daniel de Nijs ’16 with the Virginia State Police; Matt Arnold ’16 and Reuben Trant

Class Notes

’02 at Retro Abatement and Demolition; and Ian Foley ’05 in a neighboring fire department. Jordan stated, “Life took off after graduation and hasn’t slowed down since.” He met

his wife, Kali, 2 weeks after graduation, and they recently celebrated their fifth year of marriage in September. Jordan and Kali have a 19-month-old daughter, Elise. Jordan says, “Her affinity for running everywhere she goes and yelling makes me think that her conditional appointment to VMI might be a nod to her future.” The Army has kept the Farmers on their toes, moving between Georgia, Colorado, Georgia again, and now has them in Louisville, Kentucky, while Jordan completes a second command at Fort Knox. He laments likely being done with time on tanks and is evaluating what’s next in his career.

Jordan also highlighted the many times he has crossed paths with a BR. Jordan and Zach Sockwell had a miserable time together in the swamp phase of Ranger School during summer 2020, but who better to suffer alongside than a BR? He’s linked up with Maxwell Horowitz almost every year since graduation in Colorado, Washington, and Alaska to shred the gnar (snowboard). Max decided he loved Alaska so much that he had to get out of the Army to stay and is now trying to outdo Charles Remig (among many other pilot BRs) and his fancy F-35 by earning his private pilot’s license and myriad civilian aircraft ratings. In November 2022, Logan Amico and his unit replaced Jordan’s unit in the Baltics, allowing the two to reconnect. Jordan described Calvin Lawson’s wedding in October 2023 as a “mini class reunion” in Maryland. Over the last 2 years at Fort Benning, Georgia, Jordan attended the Maneuver Captains Career Course with Conor Bremer, Jeremiah Sokol ’18, and Chance Dickson ’18. Jordan and Conor both took company command at Fort Benning and bonded over the headaches of command, game nights, and parenthood as Conor and his wife, Hannah, welcomed their first child in October. Our resident JAG lawyer, Quinn Conrad, has hosted the Farmer family multiple times at her home in Crozet, Virginia. Jordan also had the opportunity to instruct a slew of Keydets, to include Andy Hunt’s rat (Joseph Snyder ’22), while in command at Armor Basic Officer Leader Course.

We’re excited to find ways to collaborate and continue to foster the brother rat spirit amongst 1-9ers. As we work to improve communication, please ensure your contact info is up to date on VMI Ranks at vmialumni.org/ranks. If you have something you’d like to share with the class, don’t hesitate to reach out to either of our class agents or email your update to 19erforlife@gmail.com. Rah, 1-9!

2020

Alexander Dragan

HollyK.Njabo

Editor’s Note: We did not receive notes for the Class of 2020.

2021

Well, well, well, we meet again, brother rats! I hope many of you were able to travel back to the Institute to see some Keydet football or watch the games on TV if you couldn’t make it. Boy, is it cold outside in North Carolina. Here is the newest addition of our class notes for you to read while you keep warm by the fire! This set of class notes encompasses the period of May 15–Aug. 15, 2025.

I want to start off with a special shout-out to Cpl. Cory Iannotta of the Lexington, Virginia, Police Department. On May 7, 2025, Cory was on patrol at a local business when an employee suddenly experienced a health emergency. Quickly recognizing that the individual was not breathing, he immediately began performing CPR until Fire/EMS arrived. Thanks to Cpl. Iannotta, the individual made a full recovery. Job well done, Cpl. Iannotta!

Summer was busy for the Class of 2021. On May 21, Josiah Titus

got engaged. On May 24, Sam Bonner married his wife, Luisana, and on the same day, Nick and Cecelia (Ivey) Carpenter were married. On May 25, Eric Lane married his wife, Maura. There were many a Keydet in attendance at Eric and Maura’s wedding, to include John-Marshall West ’22, Jon Fant, Josh Drake, Ryan Perouty, Ben Rising ’20, Anthony Moran, Brice

Basic, Bill Osteen, and Ian Baker. On May 29, Gianna and Callen Nuccio welcomed Selah Rose Nuccio, and May 30, Will and LeeAnne Knight welcomed William “Tripp” Clifford Knight III!

The train didn’t stop in June or July, it seems! On June 7, Jordan and Lindsey Chaulklin welcomed Tanner Jacob Chaulkin, and June 12, Andrew Nadeau married his wife, Libby. Also June 12, Logan Godwin married his wife, Anna. On July 11, Andrew Farmer married his wife, Amelia! Check this one out: On July 12, Jared Boileau proposed to his fiancée in Hawaii, and the very next day, on the other side of the Pacific, Ryan Morello proposed to his fiancée on the peak of Mount Fuji in Japan! On July 19, Tahvon Davis proposed to his fiancée. I apologize for my tardiness, but in the last submission, I forgot to mention Johnny Hutson and his wife, Rachel, welcomed Jonathan Allen Hutson Jr. April 29! Until next time, ’21! Have a thankful Thanksgiving and a merry Christmas! We’ll see you in 2026!

Mizpah, Jonathan and Levi

Seth McRoberts

Kelly Rollison

Brother Rats of ’22, Kelly and I hope your past few months have been successful and fulfilling. This quarter will be rather short; however, it will be filled with some personal milestones for some great BRs.

Now we’ve had a whole slew of engagements this quarter. Starting off with big Navy stud, Bryant Walker, who got engaged to his soonto-be-wife, Kendra. Best of luck to you two with wedding planning. Our next engagement is Logan Lamm, who got engaged recently to his fiancée, Anna. We’re wishing both of you tons of blessings for your future together. And last, but definitely not least, Old Jiggle Sips Ayden Jilson got engaged to his soon-to-be bride, Kendall. We’re super excited for you two and your future together.

And, speaking of soon-to-be marriages, let’s move into the chunk of BRs who have tied the knot recently, who are well on their way to great things with their new spouses. The first marriage up is John Dudley, who got married to the lovely Alexis. We wish you both the best of luck with this new chapter in life. The second is none other than the man himself, Seamus Muskett, who got married to his wonderful bride, Bella, earlier this summer. We hope both of you are enjoying the first stages of marriage so far. The next marriage happened rather recently and was much anticipated. BR Elliott Madden got married to his wife, Grace Anna, and it sounds like married life suits them well. We are sending love and prayers your way for a great start to married life. And last but not least, Nate Roach got married to his lovely brand-new wife, Vicky. We wish you both the best of luck and love on your new journey together as a family.

And finally speaking of marriage and family, we have a few recent additions to the Class of ’22 family. The first family to bring a little bundle of joy to the world was the Anders family; Cy Anders and his lovely wife, Madison, welcomed their first baby boy, Shepard McCoy Anders, into the world Aug. 9. We are

so happy for the Anders family and send all our love your way. The next family who brought a new little one into the family was the Hyatt family. Kirsten (Engel) Hyatt and her husband, Crispin Hyatt, welcomed little Cain Asher Hyatt into the world Aug. 8. We’re so proud of you both, and we hope your little boy knows how lucky he is to have parents like you two. And our last family to congratulate is the Mikovits family. Not John, but Anthony Mikovits and his wife, Megan, have welcomed in their first child Aug. 14, and their little boy’s name is Jay Louis Mikovits. We’re sending our love and prayers your way and are wishing you all the happiness as a family.

Well, that’s all, folks. If you have any life news, be sure to text, email, or DM Kelly or me. Hang tough, continue the great work, and we love you all.

God Bless and Rah ’22, Kelly “Possum Whisperer” Rollison and Seth “Spanky” McRoberts

2023

Jacob C. Sekerak

DennisonC.Kelly

Greetings, Brother Rats!

It’s been quite a year! Our rats are now dykes, our active duty BRs have some deployments under their belts or are finishing primary school, others are moving up from first to second jobs, and some are getting engaged or married. We’re busy and hard at work; it’s great to see!

We’re going to start this edition with a group update from our class president, the one and only Cam Cavanaugh! Cam wrote us saying: “First Lieutenants Sean Nefferdorf (engineers), Logan Ancona (field artillery), and Cameron Cavanaugh (armor) were on a 9-month rotational deployment to EUCOM (U.S. European Command) together, all as a part of the same battalion. It was quite a journey, but ’23 was represented through and through. RahVaMil! Rah ’23!” Thanks for bringing the VMI spirit overseas, guys!

On June 2, 2025, Cris Taylor, parent of Conner Taylor, updated us with Conner’s whereabouts.

Recently promoted to lieutenant junior grade, he is stationed at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas, where he crossed paths with Lt. Erik Stein ’17; Lt. Stein was Conner’s on-wing (primary flight instructor). At the time of submission, Conner was nearing the end of his Naval Primary Flight Instruction, expected to complete it that week. Congrats on the promotion and keep doing great things in the air!

Mrs. Regina Allison, assistant director of VMI Admissions and, more importantly, the mother of our BR, Thomas Allison, shared that Thomas’ rat, Dylan Apo ’26, ran into our BR Xavier Frederick at the Fort Benning PX, where Dylan recognized him right away. Xavier previously completed a stint with the VMI Admissions Office before starting his active duty time in the world’s best Army; glad to see you are doing well, X!

Next, we have a couple of wedding updates for this edition! Starting chronologically, Ethan Carpenter celebrated his wedding to Sydney Carpenter (formerly Coffey) June 7, 2025. In attendance were several BRs: His best men, Josh Yost and Kenny Howerton, and groomsmen, Johnny Lagana; Kevin Ryan; and Ethan’s rat, Colin Russell ’26, as well as BRs Joe Gilman and Mike Numa. Per Ethan, “Not pictured is all of the work these guys put into setting up, taking down, and cleaning up this wedding; we truly couldn’t have done it without them.” Congrats to you and your wife, Ethan!

We also want to congratulate Derrick Jackson and Rachel (Mininger) Jackson on celebrating their wedding June 21, 2025! Wishing a long,

happy, and blessed marriage to you both!

Lastly, Major Fick shared that a group of BRs met up to celebrate Matt Frazier’s wedding July 12, 2025, in Ellenboro, North Carolina. The group included Peter Eshelman, Ted Harris, Kolton Dobson, and Major Fick. Congrats to you and your wife, Matt!

That does it for this edition, brother rats! Thank you to all who sent in updates; it is a sincere pleasure that we get to compile and celebrate these accomplishments with you. Continue to keep us updated, and be sure to follow us on our class Instagram @vmi_2023 as well. Rah, ’23!

Mizpah,

Denny and Jake

2024

Justin Peterson

Brother Rats,

We hope you all are doing well! Everyone has done incredibly amazing things since graduating in 2024, and we’re excited to share some of those updates with you! We miss being able to spend time together in the barracks and certainly miss all the silly shenanigans we got ourselves into. Here’s a recap of some of the things our

class has been up to!

Jack Liselli and Matthew Hatcher started a software company called Gaazzeebo and currently have over 10 alumni and current cadets working for them! They are in 88 countries and serving clients in over 50-plus industries worldwide, and they are ranked one of the top web design companies in Tampa by DesignRush. They recently received a Google excellence badge before their company even hit their year mark! Go give Gaazzeebo a Google!

Khunsig Redmon is proudly serving our country and recently conducted redeployment activities from Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington.

Hannah White has been on two deployments as a deck watch officer, clocking in 7 months at sea. Both deployments were in support of the counter-narcotics mission, in which Hannah has 17 drug busts and over 80,000 pounds of cocaine interdicted. She has also responded to one search and rescue case and a towing case for a broken-down fishing vessel. In just over a year in service, Hannah has sailed through three different oceans and has been to seven different countries with the Coast Guard! While her ship is home ported in Charleston, South Carolina, she promises to have no ties to that school called The Citadel.

Jake Johnston recently got married to Rachel

Class Notes

Greathouse ’25 May 23, 2025! Congrats, Jake and Rachel!

On June 2, 2025, Will Tarter commissioned into the Air Force as a part of the Health Professions Scholarship Program and started medical school at Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine. Heck yeah!

This year, many members of the Class of 2024 have completed significant accomplishments in their young military careers, to include graduating

from U.S. Army Ranger School. To name a few, congratulations to Bryson Minear, Paul Murray, Luke Greer, Alton Moon, Jake Kleinschuster, Thomas Coble, Joe Hipp, Garret Kelenske, Ben May, Kaleb Priddy, Noland Griffith, Pat Cavanaugh, Alex Perry, and Justin Peterson. That’s a lot of Rangers, and I certainly wouldn’t recommend messing with any of those guys!

Finally, if you haven’t reached out to a BR in a

while, shoot them a text! We’ve all come a long way, but no matter how far we go, we must always stay close together. We can’t wait to see what the rest of this year has in store for our class! Thank you all for sending in updates, and we can’t wait to see you soon! If you’re in the area this fall, stop by Lexington, Virginia, to say hi. Be sure to follow our Instagram @vmi_24. Keep up the grind and continue to climb.

God bless and rah ’24!

2025

Emma Kennedy

DanO’Neal

2-5,

We could not be more excited to make our class debut in the Alumni Review—special thanks to everyone who submitted updates.

A congratulations to the newly minted fiancés and fiancées, to include Simon Bucknor, Maseea Kellahan, John Pendleton, Jonathan Burkett, Aaron Metz, and Josh Palmer. Those who tied the knot include Cate Mock (the artist formerly known as Cate Dowden), Richard Fuller, Gretal Murray (formerly Gretal Shank), Josh Vissicchio, Gavin Cooper, Io Neo-Moerder, and the handsome specimen (non-biased) known as John Kennedy. Mike Tulupov and Conor McGovern are the first of our class to attend medical school at VCOM—represent us well! Recent estimates show that just about all of us will be experiencing back and/or knee problems,

so we are proactively appreciating you now. Brooks Freeman and Ryan Peterson will be classmates at Regent University law school, in case anybody’s rat needs legal advice for getting out of an A-1 (or two).

Pasawat Khamsam-Ang commissioned into the Royal Thai Army as a second lieutenant. Chaochun Lee, Chun-Hao Liu, and Hai-Hsin Huang all commissioned into the armed forces of the Republic of China.

For those waiting to start BOLC, Riley Alfonso got a job working in supply chains to hold him over as he patiently waits for his date. We wish all those in this current predicament to have a very eventful summer, fall, and potentially winter.

A few individuals felt as though they had not experienced enough academic torment in the last 4 years. For those currently attending grad school, we have Thomas Inge, Hunter Horton, Tyriq Poindexter, Sedona Dancu, Riley Simon, Emma Kennedy (self-promo, very classy), Laura Fenske, and least surprising of all, Payton Amos.

While on the subject of unsurprising things, Mike Wakefield completed another ultramarathon at the Reckless Redeye Endurance Run 12hour event, clocking in 60 miles.

While some of us chose to remain attached to our native state, others decided it best practice to move as far away from barracks as possible: Brandon Bui moved to Mississippi, Io Neo-Moerder ’24 to

Georgia, and Will Houck to Colorado!

We wish Eli Alberti the best of luck, as he is the first in our class to attend TBS (oorah). Caleb Fender and Louis Wiltenmuth have begun Navy Nuclear Power School. We also wish luck to those who attended CST this summer, and we hope you thoroughly enjoyed the removal of the standing power throw from the Army fitness test (lucky).

Last but not least, here are some words from our class president, Turner Gallo: “We are now more than 3 months past our exodus from VMI. What I hope is that you have all found some sort of peace in being away from the Institute; I know I have. What I know is that you all are continuing to be the very best and excel over all the rest. For those at military trainings, kill [it]. For those waiting to go, don’t get arrested in the meantime. For those starting a job in the ‘civilian’ world, work hard, make a lot of money, and enjoy every part of it. If you haven’t figured your way out of VMI yet, keep your head down and good luck finishing the race. For all of you, be a cornerstone of your community, show empathy towards those less fortunate, and do your best to foster and mentor the next generation.” If we missed out on an excuse to brag about our brother rats, please contact either of us to include the update in the next issue of the Alumni Review.

Mizpah, Emma and Daniel

Apply for the VMI Alumni Association Board of Directors!

The VMI Alumni Association Board of Directors is seeking applicants who are interested in serving the VMI community in a leadership role as members of the VMI Alumni Association Board of Directors.

If you have the passion, desire, and commitment to serve 25,000 alumni in support of the Institute, you are encouraged to apply! Detailed instructions on how to apply can be found by visiting vmialumni.org/applyBOD2026

“The general purpose of the VMI Alumni Association is to organize the alumni of Virginia Military Institute in one general body so as to better keep alive the memories of Institute life, and by their united efforts to more efficiently aid in the promotion of the welfare of the Institute, and the successful prosecution of its education purposes in the future.”

Applications open Oct. 29, 2025, and close Dec. 15, 2025.

VMI’s 10 Most Senior Alumni

According to the records of the VMI Alumni Agencies, the people listed below constitute the 10 senior alumni of the Institute. Please contact the Alumni Review staff if any errors are noted.

Selden S. McNeer Jr. ’46

Vernon A. Jackson ’46

M.Eugene Witcher ’50A

Roger P. Rosenfield ’47

Donald T. Doherty ’47

G.Harrison Whitten Jr. ’49A

Arthur D. Violette ’48B

Roderick W. Kallgren ’48B

Albert L. Loth Jr. ’48B

Robert A. Lettas ’48B

Jan. 8, 1925

Sept. 21, 1925

Jan. 3, 1926

June 16, 1926

July 20, 1926

Feb. 4, 1927

April 19, 1927

April 19, 1927

June 2, 1927

July 2, 1927

Baby Keydets

TRAVIS—A son, Mackenzie St. Clair, to Hannah and Kellan Travis ’08, July 9, 2025.

VIGNALI—A son, Charlie James, to Lindsey and Jonathan Vignali ’14, July 16, 2025.

Update your contact information on VMI Ranks today!

New users: vmialumni.org/newuser

Returning users: vmialumni.org/ranks

Statement of Ownership

2029

Silvana Cruz Garcia

2032

Sophia E. Lowery

2033

Noa Sawyer

2035

Lina I. Cruz Garcia

2036

Samuel Chapman

Adam C. Lowery

2038

Cayden J. Anderson

Remington Henke

Arabella R. Watson

2040

Charlie Henke

Ellory A. Watson

Maxwell M. Watson

2041

Chrischelle B. Anderson

Lucy D. Bane

2042

Taylor J. Fellers

2043

Mason E. Duncan

William H. Reese

2044

Nora K. Bane

Lane Kibler

2045

Henry F. Petrides

Henry J. Stafford

Legacy Provisional Appointments

Delton G. Lowery ’01

Delton G. Lowery ’01

Michael A. Sawyer ’81

Delton G. Lowery ’01

Thomas S. Chapman ’23

Delton G. Lowery ’01

Annika K. Tice ’19

Samantha D. Henke ’11

Zachary P. Henke ’11

James M. Watson ’07

Samantha D. Henke ’11

Zachary P. Henke ’11

James M. Watson ’07

James M. Watson ’07

Annika K. Tice ’19

Terrell R. Williams ’81

Brandon K. Fellers ’05

Brian Duncan ’05

Richard E. Duncan ’60

Terrell R. Williams ’81

Terrell R. Williams ’81

Zachary M. Kibler ’16

Thomas S. Greenspon ’85

James L. Patton ’49B

Steven L.M. Patton ’85

Henry J. Stafford (cont.)

2046

Hayes R. Dixon

Callum W. Ellis

Theodore C. Hair

Beau Kibler

Loretta J. Petrides

Betty B. Reese

Elliot T. Slack

2047

Mira M. Anderson

Janey G. Bennett

Harris C. Briggs

Margaret E. Combs

John D. Ellison

Colin G. Horkan

David A. Baber ’02

Brendan C. Dixon ’17

Kailey C. Horkan ’18

Ian J. Horkan ’18

Fred J. Lehman ’91

Jeremiah Q. Ellis ’15

Michael P. Ellis ’86

Chris E. Hair ’83

David M. Hair ’19

Zachary M. Kibler ’16

Thomas S. Greenspon ’85

Terrell R. Williams ’81

Steven W. Stafford ’89

Annika K. Tice ’19

Jordon M. Bennett ’20

Mason C. Briggs ’20

Garrett P. Briggs ’18

Albert S. Briggs Jr. ’923

Anna (Conover) Combs ’18

Carl R. Ellison ’15

Charles G. Ellison ’12

Kailey C. Horkan ’18

Ian J. Horkan ’18

Brendan C. Dixon ’17

Fred J. Lehman ’91

Waylon S. Jackson

Finn P. Keilty

Warren R. Jackson ’17

William P. Jackson ’21

R. Jere Real ’56

Edward J. Desch ’10

Kevin J. Keilty ’83

Timothy M. Keilty ’86

John P. Keilty ’10

Theodore M. Lawson

Ava L. Ogden

James E. Smith

Samuel F. Thompson

Charlotte E. White

Anton S. Zupancic

Chad A. Lawson ’11

Michael S. Ogden ’79

James P. Smith ’79

Fletcher S. Thompson ’10

Edward F. Thompson ’81

Vester J. Thompson Jr. ’40

Vester J. Thompson III ’79

James F. Russell ’04

Casey M. White ’15

Chantal Stark ’15

Stefan Stark ’10

Cousin

Father

Aunt

Uncle

Uncle

Father

Grandfather

Grandfather

Uncle Father

Grandfather

Great-uncle Grandfather

Father

Uncle

Great-great-

Mother

Father

Uncle

Mother

Father

Uncle

Uncle

Father

Uncle

Great-great-uncle

Uncle

Great-uncle

Great-uncle

Cousin

Father

Grandfather

Grandfather

Father

Grandfather

Great-grandfather

Great-uncle

Uncle

Mother

Mother

Uncle

Frank L. Seiboth ’51

Frank Leonard Seiboth ’51 of Palm City, Florida, died May 22, 2024. He was 99.

He matriculated from Perth Amboy, New Jersey, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI.

He is survived by his daughter, Nancy Hinterleiter.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Lucille Seiboth.

Clark V. Britton Jr. ’52

Clark Veazie Britton Jr. ’52 of Wichita, Kansas, died June 6, 2025. He was 94.

He matriculated from Moss Point, Mississippi, and spent over 1 year at VMI. He earned a Master of Arts degree from Alabama Polytechnic Institute.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Pauline Britton.

Isaac N. Kantor ’53

Isaac Norris Kantor ’53 of Bluefield, West Virginia, died July 18, 2025. He was 95.

He matriculated from Logan, West Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the West Virginia University College of Law and received an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from Blue Hill State College.

He is survived by his wife, Doris Sue Kantor; children, Mark Kantor (Jane Zalutsky), Cindy Kraft, and Beth (Joe Zachwieja); seven grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

John F. Lisella ’53

Retired U.S. Air Force Col. John Frank Lisella ’53 of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, died June 9, 2025. He was 93.

He matriculated from Houston, Texas, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in physics from VMI. He earned masters’ degrees from the Naval Postgraduate School and the National War College and a Master of Business Administration degree from George Washington University. He is survived by his wife, Natalie; children, Linda Tallman (Richard), Laura Long (Edward), and Glen Lisella ’85; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Jack W. Trigg Jr. ’53

Jack Walden Trigg Jr. ’53, M.D., of Birmingham, Alabama, died May 7, 2025. He was 93. He matriculated from Birmingham and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from

VMI. He earned a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Alabama Medical School.

He is survived by his son, James; daughter-inlaw, Aruna Sharma; and grandson, Julian. He was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy Wynne “Peachy” Trigg, and son, John Trigg.

Jack R. Huyett ’54

Jack Robinson Huyett ’54 of Charles Town, West Virginia, died July 13, 2025. He was 93.

He matriculated from Charles Town and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI.

He is survived by his children, Jack Robinson “Rob” Huyett Jr. (Diane) and Elizabeth Huyett “Liz” Spencer (Larry), and granddaughter, Catherine Elizabeth “Cat” Spencer.

He was preceded in death by his wives, Hannah Jane Huyett and Mary Elinor Huyett; former wife, Beverly Hofer Huyett; sisters, Elizabeth Ann Huyett and Lelia Huyett White; and brothers, John Burns “J.B.” Huyett Jr. and Luther Randolph Huyett.

John K. Tiller Jr. ’54

John Kenneth “Jack” Tiller Jr. ’54 of Midlothian, Virginia, died July 31, 2025. He was 92. He matriculated from Richmond, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI.

He is survived by his son, William Russell Tiller (Michele); grandchildren, McKenna, Rylee, and Jayden; and step-daughter, Leslie Hutcheson. He was preceded in death by his wife, Betty Hall Hutcheson Tiller, and son, John Kenneth Tiller III.

John R. Lathram Jr. ’55

John Rutherford Lathram Jr. ’55 of Birmingham, Alabama, died July 19, 2025. He was 92. He matriculated from Bessemer, Alabama, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI.

He is survived by his children, Virginia Lathram Rogan (John), Manning Lathram Kingery (James), Jean Bromberg Lathram Mote, and John Rutherford Lathram III (Carol Lyn); grandchildren, Erica Mote Stone (Hunter), Steven Mote (Katie), Sarah Mote Mathews (Jonathan), Hugh Kingery (Melissa), Harrison Kingery (Allie), Jack Rogan (Audrey), Jane Rogan Bandy (Clayton), Sally Rogan Tucker (Justin), Callie Phurrough Long (Scott), Catherine Lyn Lathram, and Margaret Jean Lathram; and 15 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Jean

Bromberg Lathram, and sister, Mary Pharr Love.

Curry J. May ’55

Curry Julian May ’55 of Atlanta, Georgia, died June 15, 2025. He was 92.

He matriculated from Washington, Georgia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Georgia State University.

He is survived by his daughter, Caroline May Echols (Charles); grandchildren, Virginia May Echols, John William Echols, McClendon Reeves May, and Curry Julian May III; daughter-in-law, Margaret Adamson May; and brother, Charles Edward May.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Maxine Smith May, and son, Curry Julian May Jr. ’86, who died March 3, 2014.

Timothy H. O’Neil Jr. ’55

Timothy Henry “Tim” O’Neil Jr. ’55 of Slidell, Louisiana, died June 7, 2025. He was 92.

He matriculated from Lawrence, Massachusetts, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI.

He is survived by his children, Margaret O’Neil Fleming (George) and Timothy Henry O’Neil III; grandchildren, Lauren Fleming Burdette (Tyler), Blaire Fleming Arney (D.J.), and Timothy Henry O’Neil IV (Shannon); great-grandchildren, Tyler Andrew Burdette II and George Henry Burdette; brother, Daniel Charles O’Neil (Pat); and sister-in-law, Jo Ann D. Baggett.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Betty Gayle Baggett O’Neil; sister, Loretta O’Neil Simmons; and brother-in-law, Coy D. Baggett Jr.

Jesse A. Morgan Jr. ’56

Jesse Alonzo Morgan Jr. ’56 of Charlottesville, Virginia, died July 14, 2025. He was 91.

He matriculated from Richmond, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Edna Long Morgan; step-children; step-grandchildren; brother, Jimmy Morgan (Martha); and sister-in-law, Mary Morgan.

He was preceded in death by his brother, Tom Morgan, and sister, Virginia Morgan.

Benjamin R. Olinger ’56

Benjamin Ray Olinger ’56, M.D., of Asheville, North Carolina, died April 27, 2025. He was 89.

He matriculated from Coeburn, Virginia, and spent 3 years at VMI. He earned a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Virginia.

He is survived by his wife, Shirley Nuckles Olinger; children, Sharon Gay Olinger, Benjamin Ray Olinger Jr., John Bell Floyd Olinger ’87, and Jennifer Olinger Deatherage (Ralph); three grandchildren; and sister, Sue Shaw (Larry).

He was preceded in death by his siblings, William Olinger, Sheff Daniel Olinger Jr., and Elizabeth Olinger, and daughter-in-law, Tamara.

Mowton L. Waring Jr. ’56

Retired U.S. Army Col. Mowton LeCompte “Tony” Waring Jr. ’56 of Irvington, Virginia, died July 6, 2025. He was 90.

He matriculated from Ardsley-on-Hudson, New York, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from VMI. He earned a Master of Public Administration degree from Auburn University–Montgomery.

He formerly served as an assistant professor of military science and tactical officer at VMI.

He is survived by his children, Carroll Waring Reed, retired U.S. Army Col. James Mowton Waring ’81, retired U.S. Army Maj. Matthew LeCompte Waring ’83, Anthony LeCompte Waring, and their spouses; 11 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Constance Croke Waring; father, Mowton LeCompte Waring, Class of 1927, who died Oct. 28, 1990; and grandfather, James Mowton Saunders Waring, Class of 1894, who died Oct. 23, 1946.

Wiley M. Clapp Jr. ’57

Wiley Mitchell Clapp Jr. ’57 of Minden, Nevada, died June 5, 2025. He was 90.

He matriculated from Pomona, California, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Nancy Clapp; two children; five grandchildren; one great-grandchild, and brother-in-law, Tim Achttien.

Monroe I. Levine ’57

Retired U.S. Army Col. Monroe I. “Mo” Levine ’57, M.D., of Westminster, Colorado, died May 9, 2025. He was 88.

He matriculated from Brooklyn, New York, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from VMI. He earned a Doctor of Medicine degree from the New York University College of Medicine.

He is survived by his wife, Celinda Miltenberger

Levine; children, Scott Levine, Dr. Emily Levine (David Cantor), Sarabeth Levine Salzman, and David Levine ’07 (Dr. Katy Manseau); grandchildren, Eva Joy Levine, Naomi Levine, Niko Levine, Anya Cantor, Asher Salzman, and Noam Salzman; and brother- and sister-in-law, Christina and John Doren.

He was preceded in death by his sister and brother-in-law, Janice and Bernard Aron.

David P. Martin ’58

David Preston “Dave” Martin ’58 of Henrico, Virginia, died July 20, 2025. He was 89.

He matriculated from Hopewell, 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 children David Martin Jr. (Sandra), Lori Conk (Chip), Julia Carr (Bryan), and Treva Thomas (Monte); grandchildren, Preston Martin (Christin), Dexter Martin (Meghan), Daniel Martin, Joseph LeCato, Winston Jobrack (Ben), Andrew Carr, Lauren Rosse (Shane), Eddie Conk, Isabelle Thomas, and Ethan Thomas; great-grandchildren Max, Dylan, Molly, Mila, Jack, and Noah; son-in-law, Doug Padgett; and brother, Ned Martin (Pat).

He was preceded in death by his wife, Annie Mae Martin; daughter, Amy Martin Padgett; and brother, Earl Martin.

Francis R. Loth Jr. ’59

Francis Rust “Rusty” Loth Jr. ’59 of Memphis, Tennessee, died May 16, 2025. He was 88.

He matriculated from Waynesboro, Virginia, and spent over 3 years at VMI. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from East Tennessee State University.

He is survived by his daughter, Laura J. Loth, and brother, William J. Loth III (Nancy).

He was preceded in death by his wife, Andrea Hopf Loth, and father, Francis Rust Loth, Class of 1920, who died Oct. 27, 1968.

James A. Pittman ’60

Retired U.S. Air Force Col. James Allen “Jim” Pittman ’60, M.D., of Gainesville, Virginia, died May 29, 2025. He was 86.

He matriculated from Otis Air Force Base, Massachusetts, and spent 3 years at VMI. He earned a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Mississippi School of Medicine.

He is survived by his daughters, Susan K. Markham and Karen Andrews (Rodd);

grandchildren, Megan Latham, Katie Andrews, Corey Markham, and Samantha Stampo; greatgrandson, Desmond Latham; and brothers, Lt. Col. Lester Pittman (Clare) and Rev. David Pittman (Alene).

He was preceded in death by his wife, Nancy G. Pittman, and brother, Col. Wayne C. Pittman Jr.

H. Rhett Clarkson ’61

Heriot Rhett Clarkson ’61 of Henrico, Virginia, died June 20, 2025. He was 87.

He matriculated from Cismont, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI.

( Editor’s Note : An extended obituary for Clarkson appears in the In Memory section of this issue.)

William R. Haeberlein ’61

William Russell “Bill” Haeberlein ’61 of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, died May 23, 2025. He was 86.

He matriculated from Havertown, Pennsylvania, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Sylvia Talbot Haeberlein; daughters, Nicole H. Perryman (Mark) and Lara H. Daniels (Ryan); grandchildren, Conner Perryman, Kendall Perryman, Sterling Perryman, Taylor Daniels, and Talbot Daniels; great-grandchild, Weston Daniels; and siblings, Albert “Chick” Haeberlein, George Haeberlein, and Barbara Hogan (Jimmy).

He was preceded in death by his son, William “Billy” Haeberlein, and grandson, Hunter Perryman.

James D. Cox ’62

James Dewitt “Jim” Cox ’62 of Friday Harbor, Washington, died May 7, 2025. He was 85. He matriculated from Farmville, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI.

He is survived by his daughters, Kathy and Kim (Dave), and sister, Mary Charles (Larry). He was preceded in death by his wife, Judy.

MacKenzie L. Davis ’63

MacKenzie Leo “Mack” Davis ’63 of Okemos, Michigan, died July 13, 2025. He was 83.

He matriculated from Metuchen, New Jersey, and spent 2 years at VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Elaine; daughter, Laura Safran (John); grandsons, Aaron Safran and Zachary Safran; and brother, Robert Davis.

John J. Lacy Jr. ’63

John Joseph Lacy Jr. ’63, D.D.S., of Waynesboro, Virginia, died May 13, 2025. He was 84. He matriculated from Richmond, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from VMI. He earned a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the Medical College of Virginia.

He is survived by his wife, Carolyn Everett Lacy; sons, John Matthew Lacy (Lara), Mark Andrew Lacy ’95 (Kristi), and Benjamin Everett Lacy (Amanda); and grandchildren, Madelyn, Jack, Milo, Liam, Patrick, Elizabeth, and James.

He was preceded in death by his sister, Carolyn, and brothers-in-law, Bill Rutherford and Chris Thompson.

David D. Trimble ’64

David Delmege “Dave” Trimble ’64 of Henrico, Virginia, died March 5, 2025. He was 83. He matriculated from Aldie, Virginia, and spent over 1 year at VMI. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Suffolk University.

Robert R. Palmer ’65

Robert Raymond “Bob” Palmer ’65 of Henrico, Virginia, died July 16, 2025. He was 81. He matriculated from Hampton, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He earned a Master of Science degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Hoover Palmer; children, Mary Hall (Mike) and Barbara Jordan (Kyle); grandchildren, Matthew Hall (Danielle), Megan Hall, Kate Jordan, Sara Jordan, and Jack Jordan; and sister, Lynn Ripley (Bob).

He was preceded in death by his brother, Charles Palmer Jr.

Ian H. Ackroyd-Kelly ’66

Ian Howard “A.K.” Ackroyd-Kelly ’66, Ph.D., of Hemlock, New York, died May 6, 2025. He was 80.

He matriculated from Nanuet, New York, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI. He earned a Master of Arts degree and a Doctor of Philosophy degree, both from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is survived by his wife, Elaine; daughter, Ashley Bradford (Michael); grandson, Bates Bradford; and sister-in-law, Penny AckroydKelly.

He was preceded in death by his siblings, Michael and Robin Ackroyd-Kelly.

Charles J. Harkrader III ’67

Charles Johnston “Charlie” Harkrader III ’67 of Frisco, North Carolina, died July 11, 2025. He was 81.

He matriculated from Bristol, Tennessee, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from VMI.

He is survived by his daughters, Amy Harkrader and Kendall Fleeman; grandchildren, Jahfar, Levi, Raven, Brooklynn, Morgan, and Jordon; and great-grandchildren, Kiley and Boston.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth Ann Baxter Harkrader, and father, Charles J. Harkrader Jr., M.D., Class of 1933, who died Oct. 8, 1997.

Jack B. Mundy Jr. ’67

Jack Broaddus Mundy Jr. ’67 of Roanoke, Virginia, died May 4, 2025. He was 80.

He matriculated from Roanoke and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from VMI.

Elwin W. Phillips ’67

Elwin Webb “Win” Phillips ’67 of Buffalo, Wyoming, died May 3, 2025. He was 80. He matriculated from Miami, Florida, and spent 1 year at VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Pamela Phillips; son, Webb Phillips (Eileen); grandchildren, Leah Phillips, Sean Patrick Phillips, and Emma Jo Phillips; brother, James Phillips; brotherin-law, Dean Miller (Dawn); and sister-in-law, Gala Fort.

He was preceded in death by his sons, Sean Phillips and Patrick Cummings; brother, Thomas Phillips; sister, Catherine Phillips; and father, Elwin Litchfield “Bill” Phillips Jr., Class of 1933, who died Nov. 24, 1998.

John D. Crim II ’68

John David Crim II ’68 of Dayton, Virginia, died May 29, 2025. He was 78.

He matriculated from New Market, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Cynthia “Cindy” Crim, and brother, Charles C. “Charlie” Crim ’72.

He was preceded in death by his father, John C. Crim, Class of 1937, who died June 10, 1993.

Wilbert F. Huntley Jr. ’70

Wilbert Fenrod “Will” Huntley Jr. ’70, Ph.D., of Florence, South Carolina, died June 18, 2025. He was 77.

He matriculated from Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI. He earned a Master of Arts degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of South Carolina.

He is survived by his daughters, Anna C. Huntley and Karen C. Huntley; brother, Lawson M. Huntley (Debbie); and Sarah, mother of his children.

Richard S. Bryan ’72

Richard Samuel “Rick” Bryan ’72 of Cincinnati, Ohio, died July 31, 2025. He was 74.

He matriculated from Rockford, Illinois, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from VMI. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Cameron University and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Illinois.

He is survived by his wife, Linda Fox Bryan; daughters, Katie Dasta and Lisa Jones (Trey); grandchildren, Vince, Jack, and Anna; sister, Kathy Levitan (Grant); and brother-in-law, Bob Fox (Suzanne).

Reginald T. Strickland ’75

Reginald Thomas “Reggie” Strickland ’75 of Jacksonville, Florida, died July 13, 2025. He was 72.

He matriculated from Portsmouth, Virginia, and spent 1 year at VMI.

He is survived by his son, James (Karen); grandchildren, Roslynn, Tripp, and Savannah; step-son, John (Becky); sister, Lynn; and brothers, Conrad Strickland ’70 and Michael Strickland ’71.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Kay.

Patrick J. Donahue ’85

Patrick Joseph “Pat” Donahue ’85 of Durham, North Carolina, died July 9, 2025. He was 61.

He matriculated from Bristol, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Ferrell; his sons, Sean and Nick; his mother; and four brothers and their families.

Guenther M. Seyffert ’88

Guenther Michael “Mike” Seyffert ’88, M.D.,

of Bellevue, Washington, died May 19, 2025. He was 63.

He matriculated from Quebec, Canada, and was a distinguished graduate of VMI, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in modern languages. He earned a Doctor of Medicine degree from Technion – Israel Institute of Technology.

He is survived by his wife, Adrienne Berofsky-Seyffert; children, Nick, Jonathan, Giselle, and Cosette; and grandson, Sebastian.

Michael A. Ratliff ’89

Michael Allen Ratliff ’89 of Abingdon, Virginia, died July 27, 2025. He was 58.

He matriculated from Abingdon and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Rebecca Musick Ratliff; children, Clint Ratliff (Brooke), Matt Ratliff (Jade Shepherd), Cole Ratliff, and Benjamin Ratliff (Ciana); grandchildren, Vivian and Rosalie Ratliff; siblings, Lisa Grant, Pam Newberry (Aaron), Susan Ratliff (Pat Walker), and Levi Ratliff; step-mother, Sylvia Ratliff; mother-in-law, Nancy Musick; brother-in-law, Jeff Musick; and sister-in-law, Ramona Ownes.

Michael H. Swanson ’90

Retired Virginia Army National Guard Col. Michael Henry Swanson ’90 of Gurley, Alabama, died July 24, 2025. He was 57.

He matriculated from Martinsville, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI. He earned a master’s degree in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College.

He is survived by his wife, Susan; sons, Patrick (Hayley) and Kevin; and grandson, Hudson.

James L. Allen Jr. ’92

James LeFon “Jerry” Allen Jr. ’92 of North Chesterfield, Virginia, died July 24, 2025. He was 54.

He matriculated from Midlothian, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Kristen; daughters, Maggie and Julia; mother, Terry; father, Jerry; sister, Sherry; and brother-in-law, John.

Parker M. Cantelou ’14

Parker McVay Cantelou ’14 of Jacksonville, Florida, died July 19, 2025. He was 34. He matriculated from Chattanooga, Tennessee,

and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in international studies from VMI.

He is survived by his parents, Elaine and Dexter Cantelou, and sister, Kat Chappell (Will).

Mark I. Armstrong ’16

Mark Ian Armstrong ’16 of Canton, Georgia, died July 8, 2025. He was 31.

He matriculated from Woodstock, Georgia, and was a distinguished graduate of VMI, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in international studies.

He is survived by his wife, Constance Ingram; parents, Dianne and Scott Armstrong ’87; grandparents, Lou and Ruth Gunkel and Jean Armstrong; sister, Olivia Goodwin (Ethan); and brother, Cameron Armstrong ’14 (Marisa).

VMI Family

Kathleen S.B. Brown

Kathleen Stewart Bartley Brown of Rockbridge Baths, Virginia, died Nov. 16, 2024. She was 94.

She formerly worked as a nurse in the VMI Infirmary.

She is survived by her children, Don L. Bartley Jr. (Deborah) and Sharon B. Patterson (Bruce); grandchildren, Christine B. Vaughn, Sarah M. Bartley, William Patterson (Nicole), Christopher Patterson (Cara), Scott Patterson (Jeanine), Melody Roussos Feekes (Andrew), Nikki Roussos Gulley (Matthew), Stephen Roussos (Caraline), and Ashley Trtek; 18 great-grandchildren; and step-children, Debra Brown Roussos (Constantinos) and Dianna Brown Marchand (Dale).

She was preceded in death by her husbands, U.S. Army Lt. Col. Don L. Bartley and retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Richard A. Brown, and grandson, Sean M. Bartley.

James E. Gaines Jr.

James Edwin Gaines Jr. of Lexington, Virginia, died June 24, 2025. He was 87.

He earned a bachelor’s degree from Emory University and a master’s degree and Doctor of Philosophy degree from Florida State University.

He formerly served as the director of Preston Library.

He is survived by his children, Robin Gaines and Steven Gaines; seven grandchildren; seven

great-grandchildren; and sister, Flora Kelley. He was preceded in death by his wives, Sally Gaines and Beth Gaines, and son, Thomas Gaines.

Janet V. Hermanson

Janet Victoria Hermanson of Raleigh, North Carolina, died July 3, 2025. She was 73.

She formerly worked as an administrative assistant in Naval ROTC.

She is survived by her daughter, Katherine Hoskins Santos (Mike); siblings, Carol Alexander, Nancy Kiesenhofer, Barbara Hermanson, Steve Presgraves (Mel), and Rik Hermanson (Anna); and brother-in-law, Timothy McCuen. She was preceded in death by her sister, Diane Hermanson McCuen.

Thomas M. Kastner

Thomas Mortimer “Tom” Kastner of Lexington, Virginia, died May 1, 2025. He was 98.

He earned a bachelor’s degree from the U.S. Naval Academy, a Master of Science degree from the University of Michigan, and a postgraduate degree from the U.S. Naval War College.

He formerly taught aerospace science at VMI.

He is survived by his children, Paul T. Kastner (Amanda), Helena Reeder (Paul), and Katherine Kastner; grandchildren, Amanda (Jordon Robinson), William Thomas Reeder, Charles Kastner, John Kastner, Cecelia Kastner, and Jane Kastner; and great-grandchildren, Jordon Tyler Jr., Juliana, and Clara Robinson.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Marta Kastner.

Michael C. Knight

Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Michael Carroll Knight of Charlottesville, Virginia, died April 30, 2025. He was 80.

He formerly taught military science and civil engineering at VMI.

He earned a bachelor’s degree and a Master of Science degree, both from Virginia Tech.

He is survived by his children, Kathleen Barrett, Michael Knight II, and Robert Knight; grandchildren, Scott, Jackson, Stuart, Andrew, Corinna, Faith, Molly, Bryn, Johnathan, Sophia, Luke, and Traver; and sisters, Suzanne Tolson, Hope Bunch, and Peggy Beasley.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Molly, and sister, Jacqueline.

Jack Huyett ’54 was instrumental in getting me into VMI. He became a lifelong friend from there. I worked for him in my first job after leaving active duty Navy. He was demanding and vocal as a boss, but you knew he cared deeply about your well-being. He could dress you down 1 minute and be

Jack Huyett ’54

By Stu Wharton ’87

laughing with you the next minute.

He was known for his caring ways around our town of Charles Town, West Virginia. He provided loans to people who would have not have been given a loan elsewhere. He would often pick up the dinner bill for people he thought were struggling or had

large families or especially single mothers. He loved gardening and kept a very meticulous lawn well into his senior years. You always knew when Jack was in the room. His very nononsense manner made you feel comfortable around him immediately. He will be missed by my community.

Heriot “Rhett” Clarkson ’61

While researching the obituary for Heriot “Rhett” Clarkson ’61 that appears in this issue’s In Memory section, I discovered an engaging and entertaining story about him and his class ring. There was not enough room to include all the details in the obituary, so I decided to write a piece for this section.

While on vacation in Hawaii in late February 1974, Rhett Clarkson and his wife, Jan, went sailing off Oahu’s famous Waikiki Beach. During that excursion, Clarkson’s class ring slipped off his finger and disappeared into the depths. That was bad enough, but misfortune continued to plague him. Later that day, he went bodysurfing and bruised some muscles so badly that he had to wear a neck

By Scott Belliveau ’83

brace and put his left arm in a sling.

On the return trip to Richmond, however, the Clarksons’ luck changed for the better. During a stop in Las Vegas, Rhett won $1,500 (roughly equivalent to $9,800 today).

Things got even better March 4—albeit initially unknown to the Clarksons—when a woman called VMI collect and said she had found a VMI ring and asked for the address of “a Clarkson in the Class of 1961.” The woman did not want to pay for the call, so the operator who was assisting her said the woman wanted a name and address or telephone number to call whoever had lost the ring. VMI asked the operator to call back in about 10 minutes.

Julie Martin in VMI’s personnel office then

Timothy B. Snyder ’77

By Mike Davis ’77

called the Clarksons’ residence. Jan Clarkson, who answered the call, confirmed that her husband had lost his class ring in Hawaii. In a few minutes, the woman called VMI back, and the call was transferred to the Clarksons’ number.

Jan Clarkson learned from the woman that she had found the ring while spearfishing around a coral reef about 300 yards off Waikiki Beach. In a few days, Clarkson received his lost ring, which the woman had sent via air mail.

In a press release, VMI stated, “[C]lass rings, lost by their owners, have been found and returned under some unbelievable circumstances, but none has been returned from a seemingly more hopeless situation.”

Our brother rat and friend, Timothy B. Snyder ’77, 69, of Buchanan, Virginia, passed away in his sleep Wednesday, April 23, 2025. Tim was a “good ole county boy” who matriculated from Mount Jackson, Virginia. He worked and studied extremely hard, determined to graduate in 4 years. Tim never aspired to obtain rank at VMI and was extremely proud to declare himself a private for 4 years. Tim was a civil engineering major and went on to serve in the U.S. Army Reserve. He started,

owned, and operated Morco Construction Company, Inc. for over 30 years. While construction was his first passion, farming was his second. He loved the outdoors and especially enjoyed working on his farm with his cows and his trusted donkey.

Tim was a guy you could always count on, never absent when needed. He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Glenda Snyder. Tim’s funeral was very well attended by some of his closest brother rats and many from the community.

In memory of her husband, Glenda has established a financial scholarship for deserving young men and women from high schools in Botetourt, Halifax, and Shenandoah counties. Please contact your class agent for further information.

Tim is the brother rat who will truly never be forgotten by those who had the honor and privilege of knowing him. He left a lasting positive impression at VMI, his work, and his community. Rest well, brother rat.

A brother, warrior, and the truest of friends, I first met Dylan Cate ’10 when we were just a couple of wide-eyed rats at VMI. Thrown into the crucible of the Rat Line together, we were exhausted, uncertain, and jokingly questioning why we’d chosen the hardest college path possible. But even in those brutal, early days, Dylan stood apart. Not because he was the loudest or toughest—although that argument could be made—but because he had quiet grit. He didn’t complain. He didn’t break. He just kept showing up, pushing forward, and pulling others up with him.

Our first night in barracks at VMI was steeped in stillness and uncertainty, the kind that settles after a day of intense newness—unfamiliar faces, sharp commands, and the sudden weight of discipline. When taps played that night, it echoed softly down the stoop into our corner room, cutting through the quiet like smoke, slow and mournful.

It was then I thought about something my grandfather, a Pacific veteran of World War II, once said: Taps was the loneliest tune he had ever heard. As it played in the dark over our first night in uniform, I finally began to

Dylan Cate ’10

By Jonathan Safrit ’10

understand why. It wasn’t just the notes, but what they stood for: An ending, finality, and the silence that comes after.

Nineteen years later, I found myself standing on a beach on St. Simons Island, Georgia, at Dylan’s funeral. As the bugler raised his horn and the first notes of taps drifted across the sand dunes, I stood there staring at a folded American flag, a tan beret, and a pair of well-worn combat boots, grieving someone I had shared years of laughter, hardship, and friendship with. A brother I never expected to lose so soon.

As the last note hung in the wind, I could hear my grandfather’s words again: “The loneliest tune I ever heard.” He was right. Taps isn’t just lonely because it marks the end of something. It’s lonely because it causes you to remember what never was.

Dylan and I shared more than just a room at VMI. We shared formative years, hardearned lessons, and a lot of laughs when they were hardest to come by. The late nights, long marches, unrelenting expectations, laughter, suffering, long conversations about everything and nothing—they forged a bond we would carry far beyond the stone walls of VMI.

After graduation, even as life took us in different directions, we stayed close. Dylan went on to serve for over a decade in the 3rd Ranger Battalion, deploying numerous times into some of the most demanding combat environments imaginable. He went where most wouldn’t dare, did what most couldn’t imagine, and carried the weight of that responsibility with honor. He never boasted about it, never asked for praise. That wasn’t his way. But those who served with him knew the kind of man he was: Steadfast, courageous, and fiercely loyal.

I am thankful for having known him, for every conversation shared, every hardship faced together, and every memory and accompanying smile that breaks through the ongoing grief of his loss. Dylan loved his family, his country, his brothers-in-arms, and the people closest to him with quiet, unwavering strength. His passing leaves a hole that can’t be filled, but his legacy is carried proudly by each of us who had the privilege to call him a friend.

Dylan didn’t just live; he led. And those of us who walked beside him are better men for it. Dylan, I’ll mark your door card for you. Rest easy, Ranger. You’ve earned it.

Spellman ’85

A New York law enforcement career spanning 38 years came to a close for James F. Spellman Jr. ’85, Office of the New York State Attorney General deputy chief, when he retired Jan. 13, 2025.

Matriculating from Eastchester, New York, Spellman majored in history at VMI. His career began with an entry-level position in New York’s Organized Crime Task Force just after graduation.

In 1987, Spellman was appointed to the City of Mount Vernon Police Department, a busy precinct on the northern border of the Bronx. Spellman began his uniform career working as a beat cop and in a radio car in various patrol sectors. Several years later, he was accepted into the department’s emergency service unit, where he earned numerous awards for actions in the line of

duty. In 1995, he was transferred to the detective bureau’s narcotics unit. After a brief undercover assignment, Spellman was transferred to the detective bureau’s general investigations squad, which sparked an even greater desire to work larger, more involved investigations. In 1996, Spellman transferred to the criminal division of the Office of the New York State Attorney General. For several years, in addition to his caseload, Spellman assisted in the facilitation of courses in the state and local program at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia.

Following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2011, Spellman assisted in the recovery efforts at Ground Zero, as the attorney general’s main office was just a block away. In 2013, Spellman was promoted to detective supervisor. In 2021, he was promoted to the rank of assistant chief, and finally, in 2023, to the two-star rank of deputy chief. His final assignment, from which he

Book Announcements

Critical Leadership Playbook: 10 HighStakes Skills from the ICU to Lead Boldly, Build Thriving Teams, and Achieve Wealth by Mark E. Lund ’87. Independently published, 2025. ISBN 979830680689. Available for purchase via Amazon.

With decades of experience leading highstakes, multi-specialty teams, Mark E. Lund ’87, M.D., FCCP, delivers “Critical Leadership Playbook: 10 High-Stakes Skills from the ICU to Lead Boldly, Build Thriving Teams, and Achieve Wealth,” a bold, practical guide for leaders ready to elevate their impact. Designed for small- to mid-market business owners and leaders, this accessible and transformational playbook helps readers overcome obstacles and seize the very opportunities that inspired their entrepreneurial journeys. Grounded in the belief that leadership is earned through responsibility, clarity, and inspiration, not titles, “Critical Leadership Playbook” distills Lund’s hard-won lessons from the ICU and operating room into actionable, real-world strategies. Whether facing the chaos of a medical crisis or the challenges of scaling a business, leadership demands clarity, decisiveness, trust, and innovation. This guide equips and empowers leaders to master these essentials and excel under pressure.

What sets “Critical Leadership Playbook” apart is its sharp focus on both current and emerging leaders in small and mid-sized organizations. Lund understands that many entrepreneurs and managers lack access to traditional leadership development resources. This book bridges that gap, equipping readers with the tools to not only elevate their leadership but to mentor and empower the next generation of leaders within their companies. Unlike theoretical treatises, this is a hands-on guide for leaders who may not have formal training but are ready to elevate their impact.

retired, was Office of the Chief of Investigations commanding officer, which oversees all of the units of the attorney general’s investigations division.

Spellman is a two-time recipient of the Attorney General’s Superior Service Award and a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. In May 2025, Spellman was awarded the NYPD Teddy Roosevelt Inspirational Leadership Award by members of the NYPD NA Associates.

Despite a busy career, Spellman was extremely active in the VMI Alumni Association for over 20 years, culminating with his election as VMI Alumni Association president from 2006–08. He is a longtime member of the VMI Foundation Institute Society.

Since retiring, Spellman has begun assisting in the teaching of courses at the police academy near his home in the Hudson Valley, New York, just north of New York City.

Drawing from his unique background as a physician, mentor, and business coach, Lund integrates science, psychology, and proven leadership principles into a compelling and practical guide. Whether a reader is ready to escape the daily grind, scale with confidence, or build a legacy of empowered leadership, “Critical Leadership Playbook” provides the roadmap to move from surviving to thriving.

About the Author:

Mark E. Lund ’87, M.D., is a board-certified internist, pulmonary and critical care physician, and interventional pulmonologist with over 35 years of experience leading high-performing teams in some of the most demanding environments imaginable. Matriculating from Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, Lund graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology.

After earning his Doctor of Medicine degree from Jefferson Medical College and completing his post-doctoral training at the University of Pennsylvania, Lund excelled as a pulmonary and critical care physician. His expertise in interventional pulmonology has placed him in the operating room at the forefront of life-saving procedures requiring precision, innovation, and calm under pressure.

Beyond his medical career, Lund is a seasoned business owner, leadership coach, and former streaming TV host. As the managing partner of a medical staffing company for over a decade, he led the provision of 24/7 hospitalist and subspecialty physician coverage, ensuring operational excellence and continuity of care for a cancer hospital. Today, as the owner of Mark E. Lund, M.D., LTD, and co-founder of Twin Lights Coaching, LLC, he leverages his extensive experience to mentor business leaders, build thriving teams, and create cultures of excellence. His coaching integrates neuroscience, psychology, and leadership strategies to inspire bold decision-making and sustainable growth.

When not working, Lund enjoys the rugged beauty of the Maine coast and cherishes time with his wife, Wendela, and their sons, Harrison and Spencer.

97%

97% of graduates are employed or attending graduate school within 5 months of graduation (Source: VMI Office of Career Services)

$77K

VMI alumni earn an average of $77,370 in early career earnings (Source: Money magazine, 2025)

4.5 Stars

Rated a 4.5-Star Best College by Money magazine—the highest rank level extended to Virginia public colleges (2025)

Best Value Colleges in Virginia (Source: Niche Rankings, 2026)

4

Best public liberal arts college in the nation, ranked only behind the nation’s federal military academies

(Source: 2026 Best Colleges, U.S. News & World Report) No. 2

Week Aug. 16–24, 2025.