Institute Report 11/09

Volume XXXVII, Number 3 November 2009

Please see page 4

Please see page 4

Flu Season Under Way and Well in HandBy John RoBeRtson IV

Flu season is under way at VMI, and extensive measures are being taken to protect the VMI community from both seasonal and H1N1, or “swine,” flu. Seasonal influenza vaccines were administered to the Corps Of Cadets from Sept. 29 to Oct. 2. Cadets received all but 42 of the 800 doses acquired by VMI, and the remaining doses were administered to VMI employees. The latest estimates place the arrival at VMI of the H1N1 vaccine sometime in November. “All the vaccine is coming from the [Virginia] Department of Health, and it’s not something you can purchase separately,” Dr. David Copeland, Institute physician, said. “We have requested 3,500 vaccine doses to cover the cadets, faculty, staff, and their families, but it’s being distributed by the state based on the high priority needs.” Also, the 3,500 doses are not expected to come all at once.

“My guess is it will be a smaller number first, so I’m going to follow the Department of Health guidelines about who is most at risk. It would be pregnant women, people taking care of babies at home, and people with underlying significant medical problems like asthma: those will be given the first doses,” said Copeland. The Corps of Cadets will follow these top-priority individuals, as the 2-24 year old age group is a high priority for vaccination, preceding older faculty and staff. While precautions taken by the VMI community have helped to limit the number of flu incidents on post, the flu is still cause for concern.

“The percentage of incidences we have had has been significant enough for us to be concerned about, but by the same token I don’t think we’ve had the same kind of impact as other colleges around us have experienced. It hasn’t had much of a detrimental impact on our programs here,” said

Regimental XO’s Songs Get Hits on InternetBy GeoRGe ABRy

On the surface, Barker Squire doesn’t seem like a guy who would accept a commission with the U.S. Marine Corps. For one thing, he’s always singing. His rich baritone voice rounds out VMI’s newly formed a cappella group, Men in Grey. And when he’s not singing a cappella, he sings in VMI’s jazz band, The Commanders. But beneath the born-for-showbiz surface is a man of fine mettle. When he’s not singing, Squire serves as regimental executive officer, the second highest ranked cadet in the Corps of Cadets. As executive officer, Squire, and his staff, are involved in just about every aspect of cadet life, from football games to parades to formations and the mess hall. Squire’s primary job as RXO is to serve as battalion commander for the cadre and Rat Mass. In other words, he is directly responsible for the welfare and training of the Rats, including teaching them how wear uniforms, how to march, and, of course, how to strain.

“Our goal is to accomplish something much greater,” Squire said, adding that it’s the lessons behind the training that are the most important: lessons in respect, lessons in integrity and leadership. “Don’t get me wrong, the training is hard and tough, but it is all done with the intent of helping our Rats become better people,” Squire said. At day’s end Squire returns to his six-man room in the Barracks and does what he does: sing. Not content to sing other people’s songs, Squire writes his own. In fact, he and his roommate, Josh Dixon, have written and recorded five songs that have been posted on MySpace. Dixon, an international studies major and Company F commander, plays the guitar, is a classically trained pianist, and is also a member of Men in Grey and The Commanders. The two 1st Class cadets met in Rat year, bonded over music, and became roommates in their third year.

A cadet curled in an infirmary bed probably doesn’t care that it’s good news that he’s the only one isolated in the infirmary with the flu. – VMI Photo by Kevin Remington.

, The InsTITuTe RePoRT, novembeR 2009

TAPSArmy Sergeant Dale R. Griffin ’03

Army Sgt. Dale R. Griffin, 29, an alumnus, was killed by a roadside bomb while on duty in southern Afghanistan Tuesday, Oct. 27. He was a native of Terre Haute, Ind. Griffin matriculated with the Class of 2003, and attended VMI for three semesters. A wrestler, he won his weight class in the 2000 All-Academy Wrestling Championship, and was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler. “He was a tough kid,” said John S. Trudgeon, VMI’s head wrestling coach. “To win particularly in that tournament as a true freshman and to be named outstanding wrestler for the tournament as a true freshman, he had to be tough. I’m not surprised he ended up in the Army and in Afghanistan.”

Dale R. Griffin

Wounded by WarUnder-the-Helmet Memoir Recounts Fateful Decisions, Explosive Encounters

By GeoRGe ABRy

1st Lt. Shannon Meehan ’05, who had been an English major at VMI, wasn’t thinking about writing a book that day. A tank commander with the Army’s 1st Cavalry Division, Meehan and his platoon were going door to door “clearing” houses in Baqubah, an al-Qaida-controlled city in Iraq’s violent Diyala Province. This was summer of 2007. After receiving word of a suspected enemy explosives factory in a nearby house, Meehan halted his platoon and discussed the situation with battalion leadership. Minutes later Meehan made up his mind: he dispatched an air strike on the house and went about his business. What happened next would define every moment of Meehan’s life from then on. In the ruins of the strike lay the remains of an Iraqi family, including small children. Col. Roger Thompson, a professor of English and Fine Arts, was on sabbatical in Cambridge when he first heard from Meehan, a former standout student of his, who had graduated with distinction and studied at Oxford. Thompson was Meehan’s adviser at VMI. “I got this devastating, confessional e-mail from Shannon,” Thompson said. That correspondence would lead to an intense writing collaboration that yielded an under-the-helmet combat memoir, Beyond Duty: Life on the Frontline of Iraq, which was co-written by Meehan and Thompson. The book chronicles Meehan’s descent into despair, anger, frustration, overwhelming guilt and depression as he tries to make sense of the grim aftermath that followed the incident that summer day in Baqubah. Although his experiences are central to the book, Meehan sees himself as a mirror image of something larger and universal. “I really tried to capture the true experiences and challenges that soldiers

are facing; I wanted to paint an accurate picture of that landscape and let other soldiers know they are not alone,” Meehan said. His story is not a light read, nor did Meehan intend it to be. He deliberately stayed away from an adulatory narrative of heroic military adventure. Instead he confronts directly issues such as combat stress, civilian casualties, disillusionment, and the loss of comradeship. “I wanted the book to have educational value to the general public, as well as other soldiers,” said Meehan. The book was written at a furious pace during a four-month period between July and October of 2008 and revised in early 2009. On top of editorial and publishing calendars, the authors labored under their own self-imposed copy deadline. “We didn’t know what effect his injuries

might have on his memory, so once we got rolling, we didn’t want to stop,” Thompson said. Meehan’s memories poured out of him. At times, the memories got too intense and the authors would put down their pens and step back for a few days. “One thing Shannon is very good at is articulating his inner landscape,” Thompson said. “He also has a keen dramatic eye, which produced some interesting juxtapositions.” In person, the 27-year-old Meehan is articulate and well-spoken. His demeanor carries no sign of traumatic brain injury or exploded ear drum or bulging discs in his back. And his memory vividly recalls that September afternoon in 2007 when he stepped on a trigger wire during foot patrols just south of Baqubah. “I remember hearing and feeling the blast and being blown forward,” Meehan said. “I vaguely remember lifting my head and hearing this loud ringing in my ear, and this searing pain in my back.” His interpreter also was seriously injured in the explosion. “I heard this loud screeching; he was just screaming,” Meehan said. “And the ringing became louder and louder, and then everything went blank.” Meehan was medically retired from the Army as a result of his injuries. He accepts that he no longer can serve the United States in the same capacity he did as an Army officer. Instead, Meehan plans to return to his hometown near Philadelphia, where he would like to enter a career in local or regional politics. “I would l ike to become a leader in my community; it’s a logical extension of my military service,” Meehan said.

Shannon Meehan ’05

Office of Communications and Marketing

Col. Stewart MacInnis – DirectorSherri Tombarge – Editor

Burton Floyd – Publications CoordinatorContributors: Wendy Lovell, John Robertson IV,

George Abry and Kevin Remington.

Printing – McClung Printing,Waynesboro, Va. Eight issues are printed during the academic year. Inquiries, suggestions, news items, or address changes should be directed to: Editor, The Institute Report, VMI Communications and Marketing, Lexington, Virginia 24450-0304, Telephone 540-464-7207, Fax 540-464-7443

Institute Report

The InsTITuTe RePoRT, novembeR 2009,

10th Reunion Fund Donation

Two members of the Class of 1999’s Reunion Fund Committee, Dallas B. Clark (second from left), class vice president, and Gregory G. McDearmon (second from right), presented the initial proceeds of the class’s 10th reunion fund to the Institute on Oct. 3. Accepting the check, for $267,419.99, were Gen. J. H. Binford Peay III ’62 (far right), superintendent, and Adam C. Volant ’88, VMI Alumni Association executive vice president. – Photo by Kathryn Wise, courtesy of the VMI Foundation.

Society of VMI Family & FriendsEncourages Non-Alumni Support

By scott BellIVeAu ’83, VMI FoundAtIon

VMI alumni are renowned for their loyalty to the Institute and their interest in its progress and welfare. However, this reputation can obscure the fact that, often, VMI’s most vocal proponents are its parents, faculty, staff, and friends. These people have different associations with VMI – some are the parents of cadets, some are long-time faculty – but they all share a sincere belief in VMI’s mission of graduating honorable, purposeful, and well-educated leaders and steadfastly support the means by which VMI accomplishes that mission. In order to harness the energy and interest of these thousands of people on behalf of VMI, the Society of VMI Family & Friends was established in 2005 under the auspices of the VMI Parents Council. Its purpose is simple: to provide non-alumni family and friends with the opportunity to engage with the life of the Institute and to help foster its ideals and traditions. Parents of cadets in the Corps may become members of the Society by making an annual minimum contribution of $25 to any fund managed by the VMI Foundation or the VMI Keydet Club (to include all three components of annual giving); all others are required to give a minimum of $100. Members receive the VMI Alumni Review and The Institute Report and become members of their local chapters of the VMI Alumni Association. Terrie I. Conrad, the VMI Foundation’s vice president for constituent & planned giving, is responsible for the operations of the Society. She says

that people become members of the Society for numerous reasons. “Parents of former and current cadets often speak of the positive effects of VMI on their children,” said Conrad. “They are grateful for the benefits that their cadets reaped from VMI’s extraordinary education and want to ensure that other young people have the same sort of experiences.” However, more than a few members are not related to any cadets in any way. “One member, a young lady, joined simply out of admiration for the VMI alumni she knew and the values that VMI stands for every day,” said Conrad. Since its inception, the Society of VMI Family & Friends has enjoyed steady growth, but in budget year 2009, that growth was truly astounding. Membership rose from 800 friends and non-alumni parents (to include parents of alumni) to 1,203. Of this number, 156 were parents of current cadets. Donations soared from $500,000 to $1.9 million. “Everyone on the Parents Council and on Post is delighted with the growth of the Society,” said Conrad. “Such success inspires us to work all that much harder to attract to the Society all those who support VMI and want to see it prosper.” For more information on the Society of VMI Family & Friends, contact Conrad at the VMI Foundation at [email protected] or visit the Society’s Web site, www.vmialumni.org/family_and_friends.


Col. Jim Joyner, director of auxiliary services. Isolating cadets who have already fallen ill from the flu, both seasonal and H1N1, has been a key measure to keep illness from becoming widespread within the VMI community. “The typical course for affected cadets so far is to be sick for two to three days with fever and aches,” said Copeland. “During that time they are isolated in the infirmary. Once they have no fever for 24 hours, they may return to Barracks and classes because they can no longer spread the flu to others.” While, at last count, about 150 cadets had been ill with the flu over the past few months, the 15 beds at the VMI infirmary have so far proven sufficient to house them. “We are fortunate that we have not had large numbers of people infected with the flu at one time, so we’ve been able to handle the cases we’ve had in the hospital here,” said Joyner. As the seasonal and H1N1 viruses exhibit similar symptoms, the precise impact of the H1N1 virus is unknown. “Following CDC [U.S. Centers for Disease Control] guidelines, we have not been testing for flu,” said Copeland. “Experts estimate that probably

25 percent of these are caused by the H1N1 flu virus.” Inoculation and isolation are only part of the flu prevention initiative designed to keep the VMI community healthy. Cadets have been issued bottles of hand sanitizer and wipes for disinfecting room surfaces. In addition, cadets have been educated on measures to prevent the spread of flu such as proper hand washing and coughing techniques. “All of this kind of activity has certainly highlighted to them the fact that we are serious about what’s happening and we want to protect them and provide the tools

necessary for them to protect themselves against this illness,” said Joyner. “We’ve also had instructional periods that provided updated material to explain to them how they can best care for themselves during the flu season.” Preventing the spread of illness at VMI this flu season has become a cooperative effort among the administration, faculty, staff, and cadets. “Our faculty, staff, and employees have received the same information as our cadets have, so we think the VMI family is attuned to the fact that there is a need for personal attention to make sure they protect themselves during this time of illness,” said Joyner.

Cadet humor keeps pace with the spread of the flu. – VMI Photo by Kevin Remington.

Flu Season Under WayContinued from page 1

One of their songs, “Barefoot,” is a country song that recounts Squire’s upbringing in small town Emporia. The acoustical “Barefoot” finds Squire looking back on an idyllic boyhood, where he longs for “Runnin’ free and feelin’ fine, hunting and fishing all the time.” Their collaboration works like this: Squire comes up with lyrics and melody, which Dixon then sets to music. “We go to the piano first,” Dixon said. “He brings what he’s got, sings a cappella and tries to describe what he’s feeling; we talk it out.” Dixon tries to keep the music within Squire’s baritone vocal range. Squire and Dixon have tried to explore diverse genres. “I’ll Be Yours Forever” is a country ballad; “My Love” is jazz; “Better Days Will Come” is another country song. The partnership has yielded some unanticipated musical nuggets, such as the quirky guitar number “A Place Called VMI,” which has gotten the most attention. The song is an offbeat look at cadet life inspired by a Breakout trip to New Market two years ago. A friend posted the song on YouTube in December of 2008, and “it really took off,” Squire said. To date, the song has received several hundred

Internet hits, mostly from former cadets and alumni who understand exactly where the pair is coming from. Col. John Brodie, director of music at VMI, describes Dixon as a great pianist and the perfect counterpart to Squire, whose voice Brodie says is “a cross between Randy Travis and Frank Sinatra.” Brodie is complimentary of the cadets’ musical effort, but supports their decision to seek gainful employment elsewhere. “It’s hard to make a living as a musician,” Brodie said. Who can say what will become of the Squire/Dixon collaboration, steeped as it is in the unique culture

of VMI Barracks life. Dixon is considering graduate school, but said he will most likely pursue a career in counter-terrorism and national security after graduating in 2010. Squire hopes his passion for music will find a ready outlet as he moves forward with his Marine Corps commission. After that, who knows? “There is just something about music that sets you free,” Squire said. “We’ll see what happens.” Visit www.myspace.com/barkersquirewithjoshdixon to hear the music.

Cadet Barker Squire (standing) and Cadet Josh Dixon have collaborated on a number of songs. – VMI Photo by Kevin Remington.

Songs Get Hits On InternetContinued from page 1


Language Lunches Provide Practice, CamaraderieBy Wendy loVell

Learning a foreign language is a challenging task, and while practice doesn’t make perfect for most students, it certainly helps. To give VMI cadets a chance to converse casually, the department of foreign languages and modern cultures offers weekly foreign language tables during the lunch hour. On Wednesdays, diners can hear Spanish and Arabic spoken on the second floor of Crozet Hall; on Thursdays, German; and Friday’s discussions are carried on in French and Japanese. The tables meet roughly from 12:10 p.m. to 1 p.m., and students and faculty aren’t the only ones who attend. Col. Ed Dooley, who retired from VMI in 2001, began taking part in the French table this fall. In addition to his duties in administration, Dooley taught beginning French courses at the Institute for six years and was pleased to learn of the opportunity to practice using the language. “Having taught French and studied it all my life, I am glad to get the chance to practice,” said Dooley. “There aren’t a lot of opportunities to speak French in Lexington, and I enjoy talking about France in the language, as well as catching up on what’s going on at VMI.” Dooley added that in class students don’t get the opportunity to speak in an unstructured manner, and the foreign language table gives those who aren’t fluent in a language the opportunity to practice. Maj. Scott Youngdahl, who coordinates the foreign language table program, agreed that the experience students gain in the informal lunch discussions is very different from the classroom experience and beneficial to students who attend. To ensure there is a fluent speaker at each table, language professors are assigned to the gatherings. Learning French is not the motivation for Cadet Marie Mallet to come to the French table on Fridays. A 4th Class cadet from Bordeaux, France, Mallet enjoys the opportunity to speak her native language and to help others improve their spoken French. “I love helping people learn French,” said Mallet. “There are students who e-mail me in French or even come see me after classes or on weekends to speak with me. When they start, they can just say a few words, but an hour later they are leading the conversation in French.” Mallet learned of VMI from her mother, an American who works with a VMI alumnus. She attended a French military high school and was interested in continuing her education at a military college. Cadet Christopher Carr is a 3rd Class cadet who is double

VMI Celebrates National German-American Week Cadets and faculty at VMI celebrated National German-American Week, Oct. 2-9, both inside and outside the classroom. This is the second year VMI has observed the week, an event coordinated by the American Association of Teachers of German and celebrated at schools across the United States. “The events of VMI’s German-American Week provided opportunities for cadets and W&L students to experience and learn to appreciate various aspects of German culture,” said Patricia Hardin, instructor in modern languages and cultures who brought the celebration to Post and helps coordinate events. “Hopefully it will whet their appetite to learn more about other cultures, too.” The VMI celebration began with visits to German classes by Andreas Bille and Kinga Demps, German foreign-exchange officers from the Bundeswehr Universität Hamburg, who shared with cadets how Germans celebrate the Day of German Unity, a national holiday, on Oct. 3. Celebration events also included a German tongue-twister contest, wherein cadets, faculty, and staff attempted to pronounce a variety of German tongue twisters and the longest German compound word. Presentations of study abroad experiences in a German-speaking countries were made by Cadet Nic Williams ’11, who spent last spring studying at the Bundeswehr Universität in Hamburg, Germany; Cadet Fredy Jukowitsch ’11, who studied in Berlin last summer; Cadet Scott Krieger ’10, who studied in Vienna, Austria, last spring; and Cadet Andrew Rademaker ’10, who interned last summer with the Foreign Relations Committee of the German Parliament and the German Marshall Fund in Berlin. Aramark joined in the celebration by offering German food in Crozet Hall throughout the week, serving dishes such as German sausages, sauerkraut, roast pork wiener schnitzel, sauerbraten, and pan-fried potatoes. To end the week, VMI cadets and faculty collaborated with Washington and Lee University German students to prepare a German dinner that featured dumplings, mushroom sauce, pork chops and sauerkraut, peach cake, and apple juice mixed with soda water.

Preparing a German meal are (from left) cadets Ashley McCabe ’10 and Dominique Baker ’10 and W&L student Mike Kuntz. – Photo courtesy of the VMI Department of Modern Languages and Cultures.

majoring in Arabic and international studies and minoring in Spanish. He attends the Arabic table to improve his conversational skills and finds it to be one of the few opportunities to converse in that language. “I believe that the language tables are a tremendous help to students because they give us an opportunity to converse freely without being under the strain of a letter grade,” said Carr. “In effect, they break us out of the classroom setting and attempt to place us with people who probably speak the language on a day-to-day basis and are familiar with the subtleties of the language. “While the classroom may be a great way to learn vocabulary and the formal grammar of a language, it does not allow students to apply this knowledge in a comfortable setting like the language tables.” Carr, who has travelled to Morocco and will travel to Spain next semester, said the most challenging aspect of learning a language is the ability to take part in social dialogue. “It’s one thing to know a lot of vocabulary or to write a sentence down on paper with correct syntax and grammar, but it is something entirely different when you must think quickly and apply that knowledge in everyday speech,” he said.


IRA Charitable ‘Rollover’ Deadline ComingBy scott BellIVeAu ’83, VMI FoundAtIon

With roughly six weeks left in 2009, any alumni and friends who have been thinking about using an individual retirement account, or IRA, to make a donation to VMI need to act fast, said Terrie Conrad, the vice president of constituent & planned giving for the VMI Foundation. “The temporary change to the tax code that allowed people to use their IRAs to make charitable gifts without incurring any federal tax liability ends on Dec. 31,” she said. Although many VMI alumni and friends have appreciated IRAs, not all are allowed to take advantage of this law. “There are limitations,” Conrad explained. “Only those people who are 70.5 years old or older may take advantage of the ‘rollover,’ and the

law limits the amount of donations that can be made in this manner to $100,000 per person. “Despite these restrictions, many people have ‘rolled over’ appreciated IRAs in support of VMI,” continued Conrad. “I am sure that many others have thought about it but, for various reasons, put off making any decision. However, the end of this program is close at hand, and it would be unfortunate if some people were unable to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to help VMI.” Alumni and friends can get more information on this opportunity to support VMI by contacting Conrad, by e-mail at [email protected] or by telephone at (800) 444-1839, ext. 238.

Marshall Symposium

John B. Adams Jr. (left), chairman of the Marshall Foundation Board, presents Lt. Gen. Josiah Bunting III ’63, president of the H.F. Guggenheim Foundation and VMI superintendent emeritus, with a bust of George Marshall following Bunting’s talk, “The Mind of Marshall,” at the Marshall Symposium banquet. The symposium, which took the theme, “George C. Marshall: Servant of the American Nation,” was held Oct. 23-24 at the Center for Leadership and Ethics in Marshall Hall. – VMI Photo by Kevin Remington.

Cadets Present Research, Win Recognition Cadet Even Rogers ’10 received the Roger Rollin Memorial Prize for the best student essay, graduate or undergraduate, on a topic in American Studies at the annual joint meeting of the Popular Culture Association in the South and American Culture Association in the South in Wilmington, N.C., Oct. 1-3. This was the second time Rogers has won the award and the first time in the history of the organization that a student has won the Rollin Award twice. Again this year, Rogers’ submission was the unanimous choice of the readers who reviewed the nominated essays. The presentation, “The Modern Pilgrim: Portraits on the Road to Santiago de Campostela,” was illustrated by photographs that Rogers, an English major, made when he participated in the pilgrimage this past June as part of a project funded by the Summer Undergraduate Research Initiative. Also presenting research were Cadet Alex Houser ’10, a biology major, and Vince Abruzzese ’09, a history major who is now a graduate student at George Washington University. Their papers were written originally for an honors seminar, “Rhetoric of Scientific Discourse” taught by Col. Christina McDonald, Institute director of writing and professor of English.

In introducing the panel, McDonald’s own presentation, “Fostering Experiential Learning through Interdisciplinary Writing and Research,” discussed how VMI’s enrichment programs in honors, writing, and undergraduate research collaborate to promote dynamic interdisciplinary inquiry. “Those who attended the panel presentation were most impressed by the cadets’ topics,” said McDonald. “All three spoke about subjects that likely would not have have emerged from courses in their majors. One presented a historical perspective on the emergence of a national focus on recycling, for instance. Another analyzed the ‘rhetoric’ used in the institutionalization of our Undergraduate Research Initiative. These are the kinds of interesting questions cadets will investigate when they can cross disciplinary boundaries. It’s rewarding to see.” Founded in 1971 and including more than 400 members from all disciplines in the humanities and social sciences, PCAS/ACAS is the largest of the regional associations dedicated to scholarship in popular and American cultural studies.


Knapp to Lead Civil War Conference at VMIBy Wendy loVell

Lt. Gen. John W. Knapp has been appointed the Floyd D. Gottwald, Jr. ’43 Visiting Professor in Leadership and Ethics. Knapp, a VMI superintendent emeritus, has been active in numerous civic and professional capacities since retiring from VMI in 1995, most recently serving as mayor of the city of Lexington. Chief among Knapp’s duties as Gottwald visiting professor will be organizing the 2012 installment of the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Civil War Sesquicentennial Signature Conference Series, which will be held at VMI in March of that year. Established by the Virginia General Assembly in 2006, the series marks the 150th anniversary of the commonwealth’s entry into the war. The first of seven annual conferences, one for each year of the war and the years immediately preceding it, was hosted by the University of Richmond in April and focused on the events of 1859. The second in the series, “African-Americans and the Civil War,” will be held at Hampton University next spring. “Successfully hosting one of the seven conferences requires careful preparation under the direction of experienced leadership,” said Brig. Gen. Wane Schneiter, deputy superintendent for academics and dean of the faculty. “Lieutenant General Knapp brings that leadership to the conference committee. “As a former VMI superintendent and dean and a long-time student of the Civil War, John Knapp is uniquely qualified to lead VMI’s conference organizing committee and to serve as the conference master of ceremonies. We are very pleased he has agreed to return to serve the Institute and the Commonwealth in this capacity.” In addition, Knapp, who begins his appointment as the Gottwald visiting professor in spring 2010, will be embedded in the department of history and will give three class lectures on a topic relating to the theme of ethical

leadership during his tenure. “The appointment is a signal honor, of course, and especially gratifying because it affords me a part in the heightened leadership component of the core curriculum,” said Knapp. “My principal and challenging assignment is to chair the planning effort to bring to VMI in 2012 the Commonwealth’s signature sesquicentennial conference. “The subject of this conference, leadership and generalship during the Civil War, is a truly fitting topic for the Institute and affirmative of our mission and heritage,” continued Knapp. “It will be personally rewarding, too, as I stand with those — life-long buffs, I suppose — who believe that the Civil War was a pivotal and defining event in our long march toward a more perfect union.”

A 1954 graduate of VMI, Knapp retired from the U.S. Army Reserve with the rank of major general, served as superintendent of VMI from 1989 to 1995 and was appointed superintendent emeritus upon his retirement. After graduation, active duty, and a period in industry, he had returned to VMI in 1959 and served on the faculty until his appointment as superintendent. Knapp served for 10 years on Lexington City Council, the final eight years as mayor. In the same period, he headed a military task force for the Jamestowne 2007 Commemoration. He continues service on the advisory boards of the George C. Marshall Foundation, the Stonewall Jackson Foundation and the Stonewall Jackson Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America. Knapp returns to the Institute thanks to the generosity of Richmond-based Albemarle Corp. and the family of Floyd D. Gottwald Jr., for whom the endowed visiting professorship is named. Established in 2008 as one of the elements of the Center for Leadership and Ethics, the Gottwald visiting professorship program is designed to support the center’s programming efforts.

Lt. Gen. John Knapp

Professors Win Grants for Scholarships, EquipmentBy Wendy loVell

Several VMI faculty members have received grants from a variety of funding agencies including three from the National Science Foundation. The NSF has awarded VMI $571,729 to support a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, or STEM, Scholarship Program. The grant, which will run for a five-year period, will support scholarships for approximately 40 cadets who are interested in these fields of study, as well as to develop best practice programs to enhance these cadets’ chances of completing a STEM degree. A small portion of the grant will support advertising to improve the Institute’s visibility at the high schools targeted for this program. “The goal of the NSF program is to increase the number of STEM graduates in the United States,” said Lt. Col. Judith Cain, associate professor of chemistry. “This particular program is targeted at providing financial and other support services to students whose financial need might otherwise prevent them from completing a STEM degree. “The benefit to VMI is that if this program can demonstrate success

in recruiting and retaining more STEM majors, it could be expanded to address VMI’s Vision 2039 goal of graduating 50 percent STEM majors.” STEM scholarships will be awarded beginning in the 2010-2011 academic year to 16 to 20 incoming 4th Class cadets. Col. Joseph Blandino, professor of mechanical engineering, received $334,789 from NSF to purchase videogrammetry and thermal imaging equipment, which will be used to obtain simultaneous, high-resolution temperature and 3-D shape data. While research planned for the equipment involves investigating the thermal and structural response of membranes and other flexible structures, it can be used in other fields, such as electrical engineering, physics, chemistry, biology, and mathematics. “This is definitely not the kind of equipment you would find in an undergraduate laboratory,” said Blandino. “Similar videogrammetry systems are in use in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics at

Please see page 8


Alumni Agencies’ Report to Investors Now AvailableBy scott BellIVeAu ’83, VMI FoundAtIon

The 2009 VMI alumni agencies’ Report to Investors now is available online at the agencies’ Web site. Those interested in reading this document, provided in the Adobe PDF format, can access it directly at www.vmialumni.org/report. Annually, the Report to Investors outlines the activities of the VMI Foundation, VMI Keydet Club, and the VMI Alumni Association on behalf of VMI, including fundraising by the VMI Foundation and the VMI Keydet Club. It also provides information on the Institute’s annual budget and

describes the importance of private funds to the continued advancement of the Institute. The Report also recognizes major donors to VMI. Alumni, faculty, staff, parents, and friends are urged to take the time to examine the Report to Investors. By doing so, they will acquaint themselves with the many positive effects for VMI produced by the generosity of thousands of donors and the dedicated work of the volunteer leaders, officers, and staff members of these three organizations.

the Air Force Institute of Technology and at the NASA Langley Research Center. “The thermal imager is unique because of both its spatial and temperature resolution,” continued Blandino. “The instrument we have is only used by a few research groups, and I think all but the VMI group are within the [U.S.] Department of Defense.” Blandino added that VMI is planning to collaborate with AFIT to study flapping-wing unmanned aerial vehicles, which will require collaboration with biologists to study insect wings and the mechanisms they use to fly. “Any time an institution receives an NSF grant, it increases the prestige of the institution,” said Blandino. “It also validates the time faculty spend working with students in the lab. “Undergraduates with research experience are what graduate schools and many employers are looking for, and this equipment provides a capability that other institutions don’t have, which increases the potential for collaborations between institutions — collaborations that often lead to new and exciting lines of research,” said Blandino. Col. Atin Basu, professor of economics and business, is the third recipient of an NSF grant, in the amount of $142,962 over a two-year period to work on a project titled “Predicting the Nature of Conflict: An Evolutionary Analysis of the Tactical Choice,” which will model how non-state actors choose tactics in response to state actors. Funded by the Department of Defense’s Minerva program, the grant

will support summer research for Basu, as well as several cadets who will assist in the modeling and experimental design process. Other cadets will serve as experimental subjects and play games designed by the research team on interlinked computers. How they respond to the games will give Basu and his team information on the validity of their theoretical model. The work will be conducted in collaboration with Virginia Commonwealth University. Maj. Leah Lanz, assistant professor of mathematics and computer science, has received two grants from the Mathematics Association of America. One, in the amount of $26,743, provided summer undergraduate research funding for underrepresented mathematics students and continues into the fall to support these four students at conferences. The students worked on mathematical modeling of the infectious diseases tularemia and yellow fever. The second grant, of $4,200, will support activities that promote mathematics among female students, including two one-day workshops at Rockbridge County and Parry McCluer high schools. One will be held this fall and the second in the spring. In addition, Col. Richard Kilroy, professor of international studies, received a $12,000 grant from the Embassy of Canada to research security complexes and perimeter defense in North America, and Col. Gordon Ball, professor of English and fine arts, received a $4,500 grant to support a symposium titled “The Power of Poetry.”

Professors Win GrantsContinued from page 7

Spilman SymposiumCynthia L. Selfe, Humanities Distinguished Professor at Ohio State University and one of the speakers at this year’s Spilman Symposium, chats during registration. Also speaking at the 13th annual symposium, which took place in Marshall Hall Sept. 26, were Chris Anson of North Carolina State University and Paul Heilker of Virginia Tech. This year’s theme was “Teaching Genre.” – VMI Photo by Kevin Remington.


Cadets Present Research

Jonathan R. Horne ’10 discusses his research project, “Mathematical Model of the Yellow Fever Virus,” at the 11th annual Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference of Undergraduate Scholarship at Sweet Briar College Oct. 10. Horne’s faculty mentor is Maj. Lea Lanz, assistant professor of mathematics. Also presenting were Berley L. Rister III ’10, “Dissociation of Martian Atmosphere,” under faculty mentor Maj. George “Merce” Brooke IV, assistant professor of physics and astronomy; James M. Ray ’10, “Cavity-Ringdown Spectroscopy: A Study of Molecular Oxygen,” Brooke; Hope Hackemeyer ’11, “Are Hypomanic Behaviors in College Students a Defense Against Early Devaluation?” Maj. Glenn Sullivan, assistant professor of psychology; and Nathaniel R. Anglin ’12, “Guerrilla Warfare in North Africa: An Ancient Roman Example,” Col. Rose Mary Sheldon, professor of history. Sheldon and Patricia D. Hardin, associate director of undergraduate research and instructor in modern languages and cultures, also attended.

Public Address System ExtendsEmergency Communications Outdoors

By John RoBeRtson IV

An outdoor public address system will be installed this month as part of the VMI’s existing emergency alert system. “Most of our plans, in case of fire or some kind of evacuation requirement, call for an assembly to take place on post at VMI,” said Col. James Joyner ’67, director of auxiliary services. “All of our notification systems would tell people to evacuate, but once we’ve got them to the place we’ve evacuated to, all we would have in order to talk to them are bullhorns. It’s not a very effective means when you’re talking about possibly over 2,000 people … and trying to give instructions.” Three locations intended to cover the entire post have been designated as sites for the speaker systems, and a contract has been awarded for their installation. One system will be placed atop Preston Library to face the Parade Ground area. A second system will be installed on Nichols Hall facing the athletic fields across U.S. Route 11. These are expected to be complete by Thanksgiving. The third system, which will cover North Post, will be installed later because of the construction currently under way on and around the Military and Leadership Field Training Grounds. The outdoor PA systems will be used primarily to give instructions to

those evacuated from a building when threats are identified indoors, such as a fire or gas leak. A secondary purpose of the outdoor system is to bring people inside when a threat is identified outdoors, such as a tornado. In any eventuality, the outdoor PA system is designed to work with the indoor notification system, which was conceived in 2005. “We have a mass notification system that uses all kinds of communication sources to reach the widest audience we possibly can or those individuals who may be in danger in time of emergency,” said Joyner. These communication sources include three components. Faculty and staff cell phones issued by the Institute will receive emergency notifications informing key personnel at need. The Institute phone system is configured to receive emergency alerts and communicate them through speaker boxes on phones across post. In addition, the indoor PA systems in Barracks and Crozet Hall are able to transmit emergency notifications. “We’ve covered a large portion of the Institute using those resources in order to get an emergency message out in a time of crisis,” said Joyner. The outdoor PA system will fit in seamlessly with the existing plan and will be capable of transmitting pre-recorded or live messages. “We’re filling a void,” said Joyner. “We had these systems in place, but we’re enhancing our system from the bullhorns to a system that would provide us a more robust and positive communications outlet.”


Busy Weekends Keep Physical Plant Employees on PostBy John RoBeRtson IV

Every semester there are weekends that tax the ability of VMI physical plant employees to be everywhere all the time. Those weekends got a little bit easier when positions left vacant last year were recently filled. At least two weekends last month, Homecoming, Oct. 2-4, and Parents Weekend, Oct. 16-18, were enough to keep even a fully staffed physical plant more than busy. Among the many events these employees helped to make possible during Oct. 2-4, for example, were the football game, tailgating on the Parade Ground, a women’s soccer match, the alumni baseball game, an admissions open house, Friday Night at the Movies in Gillis Theater, and shuttle services. “It’s a lot of moving parts that take place in preparation for a big weekend like this,” said Lt. Col. Jay Williams, post engineer. “It is a total team effort across the entire physical plant organization. We are closely involved with the preparation, the execution, and the recovery, restoring VMI to its day-to-day appearance.” The physical plant consists of more than 100 employees working in specialized and distinct departments, each functioning cooperatively to meet the goals of the Institute. “I’ve got some very good supervisors and a staff that I wouldn’t trade for anything in the world,” said Williams. “They know what they’ve got to do, and they’ve got a good system set up that pretty much runs on auto-pilot.” VMI’s physical plant operates in “shops,” including housekeeping, heat plant, grounds maintenance, facility maintenance, housing maintenance, and waterproofing, in addition to the administrative, customer service,

and logistics staff. Coordination is a key concern for every physical plant team with so many events in such a short frame of time. “Marvin Clark, who runs the grounds shop, has to manage to the 5- to 10-minute increment,” said Williams, “because if he’s not on a task and done with a task right on time, then that just has a domino effect for the rest of the day.” Some of the work that goes into an eventful weekend can be accomplished beforehand. For example, Robert Wade’s facilities maintenance crew spent much of Thursday, Oct. 1, painting the football field in Foster Stadium, including stenciling in the VMI spider in preparation for the homecoming game. Although much can be done in the preceding week, on a busy weekend 25 to 30 physical plant employees must be present, with some employees working 12 hours from the set up before the earliest events until the clean up after the latest events. Since the physical plant is now fully staffed and the home football games are spaced out more evenly this season than in past seasons, this year has been easier than some for the physical plant employees. “We’ve had football seasons in the past where we’ve had back-to-back-to-back home games,” said Williams. “One of my grounds crew mentioned to me one time, ‘I haven’t had a day off in 21 days. I’ve worked 21 straight days in support of all the events.’ “That really puts a strain on your organization.”

Physical Plant workers repaint the VMI logo in Foster Stadium ahead of a busy weekend on Post in October. – VMI Photo by Kevin Remington.


Foyer Plaques Enhance Historical PerspectiveBy John RoBeRtson IV

The VMI Museum, superintendent’s office, and physical plant have been working together throughout this semester to install plaques honoring VMI’s past leaders in the foyers of all buildings which bear the name of an individual. “Two of the many elements of General [J.H. Binford] Peay’s Vision 2039 are to enhance the historical perspective of the Institute and beautification of the Post. The foyer projects are doing both,” said Col. Mike Strickler ’71, assistant to the superintendent. “It is important to note that VMI has a tradition of naming buildings after individuals who have given exceptional service to VMI – faculty and superintendents – unlike the model on many campuses which is naming a building after who gave the most money,” said Col. Keith Gibson ’77, executive director of museum operations. The foyer plaques feature “an image of the individual and a brief bio sketch of why that person warranted a building named in his honor,” said Gibson. The plaques differ from most plaques on post, having the advantage of reproducing a detailed portrait of the individual while retaining the permanence of a metal plaque. “We’ve gone to a radically different style of plaque,” Gibson said. “This is an anodized aluminum that goes through a chemical process to create the engraving.” The initial steps to bring plaques to all of VMI’s named buildings occurred over a year ago with a review of buildings on Post.

“Colonel Keith Gibson, Lieutenant Colonel Paul Ackerman, Skip Dunbar, and I have been the primary facilitators with help from many others on Post

and much help from the folks at Physical Plant,” said Strickler. In addition to the plaques, many buildings feature portraits, quotes, or historical displays. Strickler said that foyer enhancements and plaques have been completed in Kilbourne Hall, Smith Hall, Lejeune Hall, Cocke Hall, Crozet Hall, Carroll Hall, Scott Shipp Hall, King Hall, Morgan Hall, and Hinty Hall. Plaques have also been installed in Marshall Hall, which houses the Gillis Theatre, the namesake of Leslie Gillis ‘29, and in Jackson Memorial Hall for Henry A. duPont. The athletic buildings on post are also seeing foyer improvements. Plaques have been installed at Foster Stadium and Gray-Minor Stadium, Clarkson McKenna Hall, Paulette Hall, Sculley Locker Room, Bushey Locker Room, Minnegerode Locker Room, Luke Weight Room, Delaney Athletic Training Room, and Minor Cardio-Fitness Room. Still to be completed are enhancements to

the foyer at Nichols Engineering Hall; Shell Hall, currently Maury-Brooke Hall; and the New Science Building, which will be renamed Maury-Brooke Hall and will feature plaques honoring Matthew Fontaine Maury and John M. Brooke. “It says something about the VMI culture,” said Col. Gibson. “It’s important to let the current cadet corps know who these people were.”

Post BriefsCadet Represents U.S. in World Duathlon ChampionshipsKarsten Bloomstrom ’10 finished 20th in his age group in the International Triathlon Union Duathlon World Championships in Concord, N.C., Sept. 27. Bloomstrom competed with Team USA even though he was ill with the flu, and his times – 0:36:34 on the 10 kilometer run, 1:04:49 on the 40 kilometer bike leg, and 0:22:22 on the 5 kilometer run – placed him 173rd overall out of 574 finishers. Bloomstrom, regimental commander of the VMI Corps of Cadets, qualified for the race in his first-ever duathlon last April, the USA Triathlon National Duathlon Age Group Championships in Richmond. He will compete in his first Ironman competition, the Beach to Battleship Triathlon in Wilmington, S.C., this month. That event will consist of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike leg, and a 26.2-mile run.

Cadet Awarded Conference FundingCadet Jonathan Horne ’10, a biology major, received a travel award to attend the 2009 annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students Nov. 4-7 in Phoenix, Ariz. Horne, who presented his work on the mathematical model of the yellow fever virus, was one of more than 1,000 students who participated in poster and oral presentations in 10 disciplines in the biomedical and behavioral sciences, including mathematics.

Bell Elected to Serve Several OrganizationsIn July, Col. Wade Bell, professor of biology, began serving a two-year term on the board of directors of the National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions as one of two elected officials representing the Southern Association of Advisors for the Health Professions. This 12-member board establishes policy and provides guidance to the organization, which has more than 1,300 members. In July, he also began serving a three-year term as chairman of the American Society for Microbiology Student Membership Committee, which oversees more 100 student microbiology chapters nationwide and preparation of student events at the national meeting. He also represents Virginia on the ASM National Council, the managing body of the 33,000-member international organization.

Professor Presents Paper in IsraelCol. Rose Mary Sheldon, head of the Department of History, presented a paper, “Democracy and Intelligence,” at the annual meeting of the International Intelligence History Association in Tel Aviv, Israel, Oct. 18. The four-day conference was held on the campus of Bar Ilan University in Ramat Gan. Twenty-one papers were presented at the conference, which included tours of Jerusalem and the Israeli Intelligence Commemoration

Please see page 12


Center and presentations by the former heads of the Mossad, the Shabak (Shin Bet), and Israeli military intelligence (Aman). The conference was sponsored by the Konrad-Adenaur Stiftung and the BESA Center for Strategic Studies at Bar Ilan University.

Richter Gives Keynote AddressDuncan Richter, professor of philosophy, gave the keynote address at the 70th annual meeting of the Virginia Philosophical Association Oct. 23 at

Lynchburg College. The paper, “A Defensible Doctrine of Double Effect,” clarifies and defends the so-called “doctrine of double effect,” which identifies an important moral difference between intended bad effects of actions and bad effects that are merely foreseen. The doctrine says that war can be justified so long as innocent deaths, which may be foreseen, are not intended and the expected good effects of going to war outweigh the bad effects. Richter has been a member of the association since he came to Virginia and was president in 2006-07.

Women’s Rugby Team Starts Out StrongBy GeoRGe ABRy

Women’s club sports continue to expand on post with the addition of a new women’s rugby team. Thus far 24 female cadets have taken the field in 2009, including 18 females from the three upper classes and six 4th Class cadets. With about 50 men also on the roster, rugby as a club sport rivals football in terms of size and popularity at VMI. “We had no idea we would have this kind of reception to women’s rugby,” said Wayne Howe, who became head coach of VMI club rugby in 2005. “We thought maybe 10 cadets would sign up.” Enthusiasm for rugby is understandably high-pitched. Last year the men’s team was nearly undefeated, and this year the female cadets have already bested several formidable opponents. The women’s side dominated the University of Mary Washington 38-5 on its own turf during the season opener on Sept. 12. A week later the team traveled to James Madison University, where they beat JMU 48 to 12. The team suffered its first loss of the season Sept. 26 to the College of William & Mary. “Our women’s team has only been playing for a couple of weeks, and they smashed teams that have been around for years,” Howe said. Despite its rough and tumble reputation, coaches and players say the popularity of rugby comes as no surprise. “We have a good time at practice,” Howe said. “It’s a fun thing; we work hard, but it isn’t a drag to come out and play.” Cierra Reaves ’11, a psychology major, serves as cadet in charge of the women’s rugby team. Reaves said rugby gives female cadets a chance to take on a new challenge, one that involves dedication, self-discipline, and mental and physical stamina. In addition to the physical demands of rugby practice, female cadets have become students of the game, reading books and studying videos. Jennifer Lake, head coach of the VMI women’s rugby team, said the new team’s initial success stems largely from the strength of the female cadets, as well as their enthusiasm and individual effort. “Our girls know how to hit people,” Lake said. “They have to understand that we can beat teams on the basics: passing, catching, tackling.” “We are much stronger runners with the ball, and the girls tackle very well; they are not afraid to bash the ball carrier,” Howe said. “We scrum very well because we have some very strong and powerful players, and we are much fitter than other teams.”

The VMI women’s rugby team scrums during the Sept. 26 home game against the College of William and Mary. – VMI Photo by Kevin Remington.

Even though the women’s team lost to the University of Virginia on Homecoming Weekend, Reaves said, the game was an “eye opener,” and she said her team still played very well together. Reaves said playing against established teams gives the cadets a chance to evaluate strengths and weaknesses. Lake said one of the things the team needs to work on is “rucking,” which occurs when a player is tackled and immediately releases the ball. The ruck is a phase of a play when members of both teams close in around the ball and drive over it in an attempt to gain possession. Coaches and cadets agree that the biggest challenge moving forward will be growing the team through recruitment. A rugby team needs 15 on-field players, and the new team’s ongoing success will depend on keeping 3rd and 4th class female cadets involved. Fourth Class players are often stretched for time due to the demands of the Rat Line. “We don’t turn anyone away,” Howe said. “If you want to play rugby, we have a team for you.” The rugby team practices on the Parade Ground each Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoon. Female cadets who have questions about the women’s team can contact Reaves at [email protected] or Jessie Rende, assistant cadet in charge, at [email protected].

Post BriefsContinued from page 11


Textbook Characters Come to Life in Class Field TripBy Wendy loVell

For Cadet Nicolas Harrelson, a recent trip to Washington, D.C., was more than just a class field trip. A student in a history and politics course on the United States, Pakistan and Afghanistan, Harrelson will deploy to Iraq in January and is finding the class to be an interesting prelude to his future plans. Meeting some of the players in the area of responsibility in which he soon will be stationed was quite a reward. Taught by Louis Blair, holder of the Mary Moody-Northen Chair in Arts and Social Sciences, the course focuses on how the United States has arrived at the current political and military situation in this region and is intended to help cadets understand the policy options and challenges confronting Congress and the Obama administration. During the trip, Blair and Col. Jim Hentz, department head and professor of political science, accompanied 20 cadets on a visit to the Central Intelligence Agency Museum, the Brookings Institution, and the Pentagon. “It felt amazing just to walk the halls of the Central Intelligence Agency, where so many important and historic decisions are made,” said Harrelson, a 1st Class history major. “The various displays in the CIA Museum are actually set into a hallway that is traversed by almost everyone within the agency. The curator, who gave us a personal tour, was constantly pointing out individuals walking past us who have played various important roles in world events from the past 25 years.” Harrelson added that the 90-minute tour included a section devoted to post-Sept. 11, 2001, actions in Afghanistan. Among the people the cadets

met during the tour was Gary Schroen, a former CIA field officer who was in charge of the initial CIA incursion into Afghanistan that September. One of Washington’s oldest and most respected think tanks, the Brookings Institution, was the second stop on the D.C. tour and included a meeting with Dr. Stephen Cohen, author of The Idea of Pakistan and an adviser to the late President Ronald Reagan. “Visiting with Dr. Cohen was a real honor, and he discussed many issues with us, most relating to Pakistan,” said Harrelson. “In much of his work prior to his post at the Brookings Institution, he traveled throughout Pakistan and knows many of the prominent figures and heads of state that we now study on a daily basis. His personal stories relating to these figures were very interesting and intriguing.” The trip concluded with a visit to the Pentagon where Harrelson and his fellow classmates were briefed by a panel of majors with recent combat experience in Afghanistan and Iraq. A second briefing was conducted by Craig Mullaney, principal director for Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia for the Department of Defense’s Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security. “The class, in its entirety, has added to my knowledge of the situation surrounding Pakistan and Afghanistan, immensely,” said Harrelson. “Though I am by no means an expert on the situation, I believe that the class, along with the briefings with these key institutions in Washington, D.C., has given me insight and the ability to discern some of the necessary actions to be taken in the region.”

Cadets in a history and politics course on the United States, Pakistan and Afghanistan taught by Louis Blair recently traveled to Washington D.C., with the CIA among their stops. – Photo courtesy of the Department of International Studies.


Reaching Out to Rockbridge and BeyondFTX Projects Preserve Resources and Upgrade Facilities Locally and across the State

By GeoRGe ABRy

Overcast skies and a chilly drizzle couldn’t dampen the spirits of the VMI Fishing Club cadets who gathered along Brattons Run to perform community service during Fall FTX, Oct. 9-11. “It’s just a great Saturday; we have had a great day,” said Cadet Brandon Page ’10, a business and economics major. Page was referring not only to 25 bags of trash piled in the back of a VMI pickup truck, but to the opportunity to fulfill the Fishing Club’s mission of community service. Page was one of six cadets who combed the stream banks for trash, also working a one-mile stretch of state Route 780, which parallels Brattons Run along the edge of Jefferson National Forest. Col. Lee Dewald, a professor of mathematics and computer science who is faculty adviser of the VMI Fishing Club, said this portion of Brattons Run was littered with bottles, cans, Styrofoam, and other household garbage. Since Brattons Run is a thriving habitat for brook trout, the Virginia state fish, litter poses a real problem. “Streams that have brook trout are precious resources, so keeping the

water clean is vital,” Dewald said. The VMI Fishing Club was chartered this year by Dewald and about 35 cadets, who meet monthly to discuss the technical ins-and-outs of bass and fly fishing, as well as the importance of environmental conservation. Club members also make time to do what they do best: fish. “The club was put together to give cadets with a love of fishing a chance to get together,” said Cadet in Charge Kyle Drumheller ’11, a civil and environmental engineering major. Fishing Club members weren’t the only ones who turned out for fall field training exercises. Cadets not doing military training generally worked on service projects that could be accomplished during the shorter time period traditionally allotted for fall FTX, fanning out across Rockbridge County to help out with everything from singing songs to cleaning horse stalls. A group of 10 non-commissioning cadets spent two days at the Rockbridge SPCA shelter, assisting the staff there with overdue grounds maintenance, which included upgrade of the facility’s Trail for Tails. The gravel trail encircles the facility,

Cadets Sean Kennedy ’10 (left) and Patrick Maloney ’09 repair a fence along the Rockbridge SPCA’s Trail for Tails. – VMI Photo by George Abry.


allowing prospective dog owners a place to get acquainted with their potential adoptees. Meanwhile, a dozen members of the VMI Timber Framers spent the weekend in Kerrs Creek working on a storage shed for the theater department at Salem High School in Virginia Beach. The project was the brainchild of Cadet Robert Baker ’10, a civil engineering major, who designed and supervised the entire project. The finished product will fulfill the requirements of Baker’s honors thesis. “Most people do a research paper, but I wanted to do something more hands-on,” Baker said. “I also like working with a group of people in a communal environment.” The cadets spent Fall FTX weekend working side-by-side with local members of the Timber Framers Guild. The project involved measuring and cutting the wood and laying out and assembling the structure, which was then taken apart and hauled to Virginia Beach. Most of the cadets were civil engineering majors, who, like Cadet Kaine Toomey ’10, wanted to supplement the chalk board instruction of the classroom with real-world experience. Toomey, who has worked on five previous projects with the VMI Timber Framers, spent much of one morning cutting mortises with a chain mortiser. Toomey was assisted by Maj. David Johnstone, an assistant professor of civil engineering who was working on his first project with the Timber Framers. Timber framing projects have become an annual tradition for cadets and Guild volunteers. Col. Grigg Mullen, a professor of civil engineering and an elected member of the Timber Framers Guild board of directors, said VMI cadets have enjoyed a 12-year partnership with Guild members, who volunteer their time to teach traditional construction methods and the importance of community service. “The hope is that the cadets will feel more like members of the community they visit for four years,” Mullen said. “Cadets need to know that they can learn, and learn well, outside the formal channels.”

Cadet Drew Faulconer ’10, a civil engineering major, uses a 16” circular saw to cut a floor sill to length, with a little help from fellow civil engineering major Kaine Toomey ’10. – VMI Photo by George Abry.

Members of the VMI Fishing Club stow trash they collected along Brattons Run. – VMI Photo by George Abry.


Homecoming HopCadet Tyler Byam ’12 takes the floor during the Homecoming Hop Oct. 3, which took place in Cocke Hall. The Hop was reinstated this year as one of two social events offered to the entire Corps of Cadets. – VMI Photo by Kevin Remington.

Parents Council Package Project Assists the DeployedBy GeoRGe ABRy

The VMI Parents Council is making it easier this year to send care packages to deployed cadets and alumni. The Package Project was announced at the Council’s Oct. 16 meeting, where those attending were provided with 100 “military mail/priority mail flat rate boxes,” along with military mail identification stickers, customs forms, and plastic sleeves to affix customs forms to boxes. A list of recommended items also has been published. Currently Council members are gathering names and addresses of deployed cadets and VMI graduates by word of mouth. But the plan is to offer commissioning cadets an opportunity to give written permission to release their military addresses to the VMI “family at large” to streamline the process of receiving mail and packages. “We learned that there are many enlisted soldiers who get very little sent to them,” said Dana Davis, a Communications Committee vice-chair along with her husband, Robert Davis. “Their families don’t have the means, or they have a limited support network stateside.” Among the most requested items: “jump drives.” Although they cannot be used on U.S. Department of Defense computers, they are popular for

personal laptops because they are portable and can be used to transfer photographs. Davis said “re-writable” DVDs and CDs also are popular, along with extension cords, cleaning wipes, batteries, T-shirts, socks, cotton underwear, movie DVDs, and music CDs. Davis recommends sending items that can be readily shared with other soldiers. The Davises have firsthand experience with cadets who are stationed overseas. “Bob and I have been sending packages to our son-in-law’s roommate,” Davis said. “In the process, we have become friends with his parents and share e-mails. We also keep in touch with his fiancée and send her little messages and gifts of encouragement.” “It’s easy and it does not cost much,” said Mary Ann Taylor, Parents Council president. “You just send an e-mail, and the boxes are delivered right to your house.” Taylor said she hopes the package initiative will continue into the future and strengthen the bonds between alumni and deployed cadets. Package boxes, military mail stickers, customs forms, and sleeves are available at the post offices or online at www.usps.com.

Sustainability Added to Energy Committee GoalsBy sheRRI toMBARGe

Last June Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine signed Executive Order 82 to improve energy efficiency and reduce environmental impact of state government. For VMI, that meant the expansion of the already active Energy Conservation Committee to the Energy Conservation and Sustainability Committee, which met last month for the first time. The old Energy Conservation Committee had numerous successful initiatives behind it – exceeding the governor’s 10 percent energy reduction goal in 2006, saving $154,000 annually through energy conservation projects, with more savings currently in place, and recycling programs across post – and it had a plan. “We’re going to be revising the plan based on the new executive order,” said Lt. Col. Paul Ackerman ’93, chairman of the committee and deputy

post engineer. “Now, it’s not just energy. It’s water, It’s environmental systems like pollution prevention, and it’s our procurement practices.” The committee will also review travel. The committee is already at work on the new Environmental Management Plan, which must be completed by July 1, 2010. In addition to Ackerman, members of the committee are Col. J. Howard Arthur, professor of mechanical engineering; Col. Dan Barr, professor of electrical and computer engineering; Maj. Richard Fletcher of the physical plant; Lt. Col. Dave Williams, assistant director of auxiliary services; Maj. Kathy Tomlin, director of purchasing; Andrew Westhouse, assistant athletic director; Capt. Chris Perry, assistant commandant for cadet life; and Cadet Chien Lin ’10.


VMI Picked Fifth in Big South Basketball PollBy BRAd sAloIs, spoRts InFoRMAtIon

VMI was selected fifth among the Big South Conference’s men’s basketball teams in preseason voting conducted by the league’s coaches and media members. The poll was announced Oct. 13 at the league’s 2009-10 Basketball Tip-Off Media Luncheon held at the Renaissance Suites Hotel in Charlotte, N.C. After a record-setting 24-8 campaign that saw VMI finish as the 2008-09 Big South championship runner-up, the Keydets return just two starters in 2009-10. That number is offset, however, by the 10 returning lettermen that will suit up for head coach Duggar Baucom, the 2009 National Association of Basketball Coaches District 3 Coach of the Year. Reigning Big South Champion Radford University was voted the Big South’s preseason favorite, securing 23 of the 24 possible first-place votes. Radford was followed in the preseason poll by University of North Carolina-Asheville (191 points) and Winthrop University (179 points), which took the remaining first-place vote. Gardner-Webb University (130 points.) was placed fourth in the voting, followed closely by the Keydets (125 points) and by High Point University (124 points). Rounding out the prediction were Liberty University (119), Coastal Carolina University (118), Charleston Southern University (53) and Presbyterian College (42). Despite not placing a player on the preseason squad and losing nearly 50 points per game production from last season, VMI was voted to the threshold of an upper division spot in the Big South preseason poll. “I think it’s a reflection of our guys,” said Baucom. “We had continued to be picked last, it seemed like, so to be picked middle of the pack is a good thing especially losing 50 points out of our lineup from last year. It just shows the respect the guys have garnered from the league and from

the other coaches. “I was a little upset Austin [Kenon] wasn’t on the all-conference team. He could have been,” added Baucom. “Maybe that will be motivation for him to come back. I think he’s the best three-point shooter in the league and one of the best three-point shooters in the country.” The Keydets open their season Nov. 13, playing host to Army. The clash marks VMI’s first season opener at Cameron Hall since Army visited Lexington to open the 2005 campaign in Baucom’s Keydet debut.

VMI Basketball Team – Photo courtesy of VMI Sports Information.

VMI basketball head coach Duggar Baucum (left) was at the Big South Conference 2009-10 Basketball Tip-Off Media Luncheon Oct. 13 in Charlotte, N.C., to hear VMI named fifth in the preseason poll. – Photo courtesy of VMI Sports Information.


Air Force Cadets Honor Sept. 11 FallenBy cApt. noAh W. dIehl, AIR FoRce Rotc

The cadets of the VMI’s Air Force ROTC Detachment 880 commemorated the events of Sept. 11, 2001, by completing a special session of physical training. After finishing a run to neighboring Washington and Lee University’s Ruins, the cadets performed 2,749 pushups to account for every American life lost that fateful day. Alpha flight performed the first 400 pushups, distributing them evenly among its flight members; pushups by Bravo, Charlie, Delta and Echo flights followed. Field Training Prep Flight performed 749 pushups. Members of each flight performed their pushups simultaneously while

members of the other flights observed. Following the exercises, Col. Steve Amato, detachment commander, addressed the cadets on the significance of the pushups and on the sacrifice of service being made now by airmen and airwomen deployed across the globe. In October, 25 cadets, scholarship winners and those who had just finished field training, made their commitment to serve in the Air Force by contracting. Contracting shows the Air Force that the cadet is set on the commissioning track and that he or she is willing to go through the rigorous training to become an Air Force officer.

VMI’s Air Force ROTC unit completed 2,749 pushups to honor each of those who diedin the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. – Photo courtesy of Air Force ROTC.

Birthday Celebration Culminates Marine, Navy FTXcouRtesy oF nAVAl Rotc

Navy and Marine option cadets in VMI’s Naval ROTC unit divided for training during this year’s Fall Field Training Exercise, reuniting afterward for a field mess at Jordan’s Point to celebrate the anniversary of the Navy’s birth on Oct. 13, 1775. In the ceremony the oldest and youngest members of the battalion cut the cake and served each other slices, executing a Naval ROTC tradition. For Marine option cadets, the Virginia Horse Center was the site of special training. That Saturday, Oct. 10, 230 of them conducted a road march to the Virginia Horse Center and then established a bivouac site and set up shelter halves. Led by 1st Class cadets, they conducted station training in survival, terrain models, small unit tactics, and land navigation. That evening, the soon-to-be second lieutenants and those aspiring to receive a commission in the Marine Corps listened to a talk by Maj. Chris Faught, a company commander at the Basic School. His brief was followed by community and summer training briefs by the Naval ROTC staff and upper classmen. Reveille was sounded early Sunday morning to kick off the land navigation practical application exercise and bivouac site tear down. Col. James Park, VMI chaplain, provided a sunrise service, and later cadets tested their knowledge of what they had learned the previous day in a land navigation course. The march back to VMI was led by cadets Ericsson Davis ’10 and Elizabeth Dobbins ’10 and supported by local law enforcement and the

VMI police. Their support was much appreciated as it ensured a smooth and safe evolution. This year’s Navy Fall FTX was a local affair, with the majority of training held in Kilbourne Hall. Since the 165 cadets who participated were unable to tour naval warships or installations, the Navy came to them – in the shape of VMI alumni who gave briefings about several distinct Naval communities. Cmdr. Stephen W. Dudar ’91, and Cmdr. Kai O. Torkelson ’91, gave briefings on the engineering duty officer career path, in which naval officers specialize in a certain weapon or engineering system after spending an initial tour onboard a ship or submarine. Lt. Cmdr. Andrew J. Lewis ’98, talked about the supply corps, a staff corps community. In addition, Lt. Stuart R. Chambers ’03, the nuclear recruiter for the Lexington area, headquartered in Richmond, briefed cadets on commissioning paths outside of Naval ROTC, such as the Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate Program and the Baccalaureate Degree Completion Program. The Navy FTX guest lecturers stressed that commissioning into the Navy was not limited to Naval ROTC or to unrestricted line communities. With fewer Naval ROTC scholarships awarded in recent years, opportunities they described still allow VMI graduates to commission into the Navy with a variety of career opportunities. The focus on naval service was later emphasized by training including communications drills and a ship handling competition.


Cadets Supervise Successful Army ROTC FTXBy 2nd lt. nAthAn GoldsMIth, ARMy Rotc

The Army ROTC cadre and staff have been working hard to ensure the successful completion of several events this semester, most notably the Association of the United States Army Convention and the annual VMI Fall Field Training Exercise, held this year Oct. 9-11. For the FTX, cadet battalion leadership had the responsibility of coordinating and designing a training schedule that would lead to solid training and an enjoyable weekend. The majority of this work fell to the 1st Class cadets. These cadets designed an effective training plan for the 4th and 3rd class cadets and supervised the supplies needed for training and reliable communications from the Tactical Operations Center. Army cadets from all four classes participated in the training, although each class had its own training schedule. Fourth and 3rd class cadet training was geared to an initial entry into Army life and FTX functions. Each of these classes received instruction from 1st Class cadets on topics such as radio communications, hand grenade employment, and land navigation. This provided an excellent opportunity for these newest cadets to see what Army ROTC is really all about, while having some fun as well.

The most challenging parts of Fall FTX were geared toward the 2nd Class cadets. These cadets are all preparing for the first of their officer training programs, which will take place this summer at Ft. Lewis, Wash., in a program called the Leader Development and Assessment Course. This program is vital to the success of these young officers as it sets the tone for the rest of their careers; how well they perform at LDAC will, to a large degree, determine in what Army branch they will serve for their active duty commitment. The FTX is therefore toughest on these 2nd Class cadets. They spent the entire weekend preparing vital skills to be used this summer; shooting the M-16 rifle, land navigation, evaluations of their individual leadership, and tactical road marches were all key weekend events. With all these events conducted at once, it seems a large task for 1st Class cadets to supervise and run, but the cadets did a superb job and the weekend went off with only slight modifications to the plans. The 4th and 3rd class cadets received effective introductory training, 2nd Class cadets are now well into LDAC preparation, and the 1st Class cadets are now one step closer to the final goal: commissions as second lieutenants in the U.S. Army.

Second Class Army ROTC cadets train on the M-16 rifle during Fall FTX. – Photo courtesy of Army ROTC.

Cadets Complete Marine OCScouRtesy oF nAVAl Rotc

Twenty-eight of VMI’s Naval ROTC cadets reported to Officer Candidates School in Quantico, Va., to take part in training and evaluation in preparation for becoming U.S. Marine Corps officers last summer. All completed the course successfully. The mission of Marine Officer Candidate School is to train, evaluate, mentor, and screen officer candidates to ensure they possess the moral, intellectual, and physical qualities for commissioning and the leadership potential to serve successfully as company grade officers in the Fleet Marine Force. During the six-week course, VMI officer candidates were given

instruction on general military subjects, physical training, martial arts, confidence, leadership reaction, and land navigation. They also took part in a conditioning hike and small unit leadership evaluations. The following cadets completed the OCS: Andrew Baity, Alex Beckstrand, Jonathan Bisulca, Thomas Bond, Donte Brown, Andrew Compton, Ericsson Davis, Elizabeth Dobbins, Evan Farley, Jared Hendee, Robert Hindle, Andrew Horgan, Peter Karonis, John Krahling, Michael Kromm, Preston Landt, David Lochart, David Lottman, Julie Markow, Ashley McCabe, David Padgett, David Phillips, Ava Schultz, William Shannon, John Sheehan, Joseph Simmers, Barker Squire, and Robert Stockman.

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Keydets Best W&L in Lee-Jackson ClassicBy BRAd sAloIs, VMI spoRts InFoRMAtIon

Tim Moran scored five goals and Jacob Weimer notched the game-winner with 7 ½ minutes to play as the VMI Keydets won the 2009 Lee-Jackson Lacrosse Classic 15-13 over the Washington and Lee University Generals Oct. 2 at Wilson Field. The victory was VMI’s third-ever in the event. The Keydets also won in 1988 and 2005. After a back-and-forth third quarter, featuring multiple ties and lead changes, the two teams played a rough, physical first half of the final quarter. Finally, at the 7:31 mark, Weimer was able to get free to the right of Generals’ netminder, Ned Lundvall, to give VMI a 12-11 lead, an advantage it would not relinquish. Following the eventual game-winner, Moran scored his fifth goal of the night off a pass from Keith Long, making it 13-11. The Generals got back within a goal, as Max Mancuso scored with 6:04 to go, but VMI put the game away with a two-goal spurt. The mini-run was capped by Long’s second goal of the game, a score that came with 1:30 remaining. Drew Koeneman would notch his fourth goal for W&L with 1:03 left to account for the final margin, 15-13. “I’m impressed with both teams. I think Coach [Gene] McCabe did a great job getting his guys ready to go, and they played well,” said VMI head

coach Jeff Shirk. “I’m excited about what we did today. W&L fought back and even went up by a goal. We never put our heads down, we fought back and we found a way to finally win this thing. “Our seniors this year are a great group, and they deserve this. This ends the fall on a very high note, and gives us motivation to work hard going into the spring season.” This year’s edition of the Lee-Jackson Classic was a hard-fought battle, as the contest featured 13 penalties. VMI was led by Moran’s five goals and two assists, while the Generals were paced by Will Keigler, who had three goals and four

assists. For their efforts, Moran and Keigler were named the winners of the Worrell-Fallon award, given to the most valuable players from each team. Other offensive leaders for VMI included Weimer, who had three scores in the game. Long and Brett Leonard each scored twice, while Colin Bosse, Stephen Robarge and Drew Leonard were each credited with a single goal. Sean McCoy made 14 saves in net for the Keydets in earning the victory. VMI lacrosse is scheduled to open its spring season Saturday, Feb. 13, at Annapolis, Md., by taking on perennial power Navy. Game time is currently scheduled for noon.

The Keydets celebrate after winning the 2009 Lee-Jackson Lacrosse Classic. – VMI Photo by Kevin Remington.

Institute Report 11/09

Documents

Transcript of Institute Report 11/09