Hokies Serve with Pride Thank You to All Our Alumni Who Participated in a Letter-Writing Campaign to Help Celebrate Our Senior Cadets
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THE VIRGINIA TECH CORPS OF CADETS ALUMNI MAGAZINE CORPS REVIEW VOL. 30 NO. 1 SPRING 2020 Hokies Serve With Pride Thank you to all our alumni who participated in a letter-writing campaign to help celebrate our senior cadets. We received more than 280 letters plus challenge coins, unit patches, Virginia Tech items, T-shirts, rank insignia, and other treasures that were all repackaged and mailed off to our 226 members of the Class of 2020. Spring 2020, Vol. 30, No. 1 CONTENTS ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT 6 Jay Borella ’93 12 Bernie Watts ’71 16 John Wakefield Hawley ’08 FEATURES 24 Congratulations, Class of 2020 30 Class Notes PHOTOS 10 Spring Events DEPARTMENTS 2 Commandant’s Column 3 Today’s Corps 4 Alumni Announcements 11 Chairman’s Column 20 Museum Curator 21 Quad Angle 32 Army ROTC News 34 Naval ROTC News 36 Air Force ROTC News 38 Giving 40 Honor Guard Follow us on social media. Facebook: /VTCCA Twitter: @vtcorpsofccadets Instagram: @vtcorpsofcadets Linkedin: /company/ virginiatechcorpsofcadets www.vtcc.vt.edu | CORPS REVIEW 1 FROM THE COMMANDANT LEAD FROM WHERE YOU’RE AT While many of you had the experience of the ever the circumstances we may be presented. nation rallying after the 9/11 attacks and, for a very In May, Virginia Tech renamed its New Cadet few, some recollection from loved one’s stories of Hall as Pearson Hall West to recognize the contin- the how the nation came together in World War II, ued generosity of J. Pearson ’87 and Renae Pearson this COVID-19 pandemic is something entirely dif- ’90. Pearson Hall West is the newer of our two resi- ferent. All of us are on the front line of this battle. dence halls. The first, which was already named for It’s personal. the Pearsons, is now known as Pearson Hall East. Another thing I think readers of the Corps Plus, we continue to plan for construction of a Review have in common is what it feels like to put third new residence hall and the Corps Leadership service above self. It’s the power that comes from and Military Science Building. being part of an organization that shows you in Finally, we are looking for ways in the coming real, visible ways that the whole is greater than the academic year to honor the completion of the train- sum of its parts. That’s the lesson of what it means ing and service the Class of 2020 has provided over to be a cadet from Virginia Tech. the course of the last four years. We wish them We will be a different country when this virus well as they each start exciting careers during a has been wrestled to the ground. I think it is fair to time when exceptional leaders will be in even more say that we will be a different Corps of Cadets, too. demand. We’ve learned, for example, how to operate our As the coming year unfolds, we will be using all regiment as if it is deployed from home station. our available means — social media, emails, Class Like the rest of the university, our classes were Champions, this magazine — to keep you apprised taught online. We had a small contingent — we call of how things are going and how you can help it Task Force Blacksburg — living here in our resi- through your engagement, best wishes, and sup- dence halls. The remaining cadets — we call them port. iCorps — were spread across the country. We man- Until then, be well. aged multiple chains of command, used technology And remember, no matter where you are at, you to communicate, and ensured that we kept sight of can still lead. the fact that leadership is a very human endeavor. Summer orientation at the university, the time when we would be meeting new cadets and their families face to face, will be done completely online. Our ability to fit new cadets for uniforms will have to come later. Maj. Gen. Randal D. Fullhart, At the same time, we are forging ahead, identify- U.S. Air Force (retired) ing cadet leaders and the new chain of command in Commandant of Cadets anticipation that the mission will continue — what- 2 CORPS REVIEW | Spring 2020 T O D A Y ’ S The Corps Review is published two times a year by the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets Alumni Inc. CORPS (VTCCA). J. Pearson ’87, Chairman, VTCCA Maj. Gen. Randal Fullhart, Commandant of Cadets Shay Barnhart, Communications Director and Editor Sandi R. Bliss, Chief Advancement Officer Photography: Victoria Ann ’22; Brian Chung ’20; Claire Seibel ’23; Shay Barnhart Comments and all material for the magazine should be mailed to Editor, Corps Review, VTCC Alumni Office (0213); 252 Lane Hall, Virginia Tech; 280 Alumni Mall; Blacksburg, VA 24061. Persons wishing to reprint any portion of the contents of Corps Review must contact the editor for This summer, design work on the new Corps of Cadets residence hall, the an- permission. ticipated home for a fourth battalion, will continue. This building will follow the © 2020, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State same style as the newly named Pearson Hall East that opened in 2015, and Pearson University Hall Well (formerly New Cadet Hall) that opened in 2017. It will be located on Corps Review can be accessed online at property that now houses Femoyer Hall and next door to the Corps Leadership www.vtcc.vt.edu/corpsreview and Military Science Building. Medallions on the building’s exterior will represent Virginia Tech does not discriminate against Corps organizations, such as Skipper Crew, the Gregory Guard, the Color Guard, employees, students, or applicants on the basis of and more. age, color, disability, gender, genetic information, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other SQUARE FOOTAGE 70,236 basis protected by law. Anyone having questions NUMBER OF BEDS 302 concerning any of those regulations should contact the Office of Equity and Access. NUMBER OF FLOORS 5 Front cover: Lt. Cmdr. Mike Huber ’05 (at left) ANTICIPATED OPENING 2023 shows his Hokie pride while serving as executive officer onboard USS West Virginia (SSBN 736) (Blue) in April 2019, during a strategic deterrent patrol in the Atlantic Ocean. The picture was captured by Senior Chief Missile Technician (Submarines) Alex Shaw during a routine surfaced evolution. Huber is now serving on the Joint Staff at the Pentagon. Go Hokies! Back cover: Col. Patience Larkin ‘87 sits out of view on the stage of Burruss Hall during an event. Larkin, the Corps’ alumni director for the last eight years, is leaving to pursue another opportunity out of state. She will be missed. Photo by Shay Barnhart. www.vtcc.vt.edu | CORPS REVIEW 3 ALUMNI ANNOUNCEMENTS IT’S TIME TO SAY GOODBYE I have just finished my last semester as the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets alumni director. Eight years have gone by quickly, and so much has taken place with the Corps during that time. Brodie and Rasche halls came down, and, like you all, I will forever miss those gorgeously-ugly buildings and the memories they held. But Pearson Hall East and Pearson Hall West (newly named in May) are not only beautiful and have the features — i.e. Wi-Fi- — that cadets now require, they also carry our heritage, inside and out. The Growley program started almost four years ago. Growley II (call sign “Tank”) has turned out to be a fantastic ambassador for us all, and that program is thriving. I will miss the commandant, his staff, and especially the cadets — particularly those I advised over the years on the Gregory Guard, Growley Team, the Black Cadet Organization, and the Cadet Alumni Team. I consider all these folks and “that dog” my family. But mostly I will miss hearing from and seeing all of you, MY alumni. I want to thank all of you who have participated in our reunions, dinners, panels, flyovers, Rat Pack, Class Champions, both alumni boards, Project Graduation, etc. You were always quick to volunteer anytime we needed you. There are special alumni I was close with who passed during my tenure who I will never forget, Brig. Gen. Whitey Lemmond ’54, J.B. Jones ’45, Maj. Stan Cohen ’49, and Col. T.O. Williams ’59. These alumni loved the Corps until their very end and are the reason this job is more than just a job … and has meant so much to me. I want to thank all for your Patience Connelley Larkin E’87 gives a kiss to Corps ambassador Growley II. support. Larkin has been the advisor for the Growley Program since it started four years Ut Prosim and EIGHTY-SEVEN! ago. Patience Connelley Larkin E’87 4 CORPS REVIEW | Spring 2020 A NEW EVENT FOR OUR FALL 2020 EVENTS CORPS REUNION As of the printing of this magazine, the university had made As we worked from home this spring, no decisions on how the coronavirus pandemic will affect the we began brainstorming ideas for the Corps fall semester. Find the latest information at vtcc.vt.edu and vtcc. Reunion, which is planned for Sept. 25-26, vt.edu/alumni. the weekend of the North Alabama vs. Vir- n Aug 15: New Cadet Class of 2024 arrives ginia Tech football game. n Sept. 24: Class of 2020 Lane Hall Signing Social We will feature a new family-friendly n Sept. 25-26: Corps Reunion event and meal on Saturday, which we may n Oct. 2-3: Highty-Tighty Reunion make a regular event at our reunions. We n Nov. 6: Cenotaph ceremony. More information to come.