Heritage, Scholarship, Leadership, Camaraderie

The official message board of the University of Texas NROTC Alumni Foundation

Volume 15, Issue 1 SPECIAL EDITION February 2010 AATTTTEENNTTIIOONN OONN DDEECCKK…… UT NROTC PROGRAM AT RISK! ALL UT ROTC PROGRAMS IN JEOPARDY: ROTC BUILDING TO BE TORN DOWN THIS FALL WITH NO DEFINITIVE PLANS FOR FUTURE ROTC FACILITIES

RAS Hall is scheduled for demolition beginning in September of this year, only six months from now. The College of Liberal Arts will erect a new multi-story building on the RAS property to accommodate the needs of that College, excluding the NROTC and other two ROTC programs. As of this moment, there is no definitive plan for a temporary relocation on campus for the NROTC. There have been discussions, negotiations, some promises made and some, as yet, unfulfilled but no definite plans are in place at this time for the near term relocation of the NROTC. Furthermore, no definitive plans are in place for the long term relocation of the NROTC on campus.

Your Board of Directors is considerably concerned about this situation and wants to do what it can to insure that the Unit is timely provided adequate facilities to carry out its mission of educating and commissioning Navy and Marine Corps officers for the defense of our country. The Board wants to do what it can to continue the traditions of excellence established over the last seventy years by our Alumni.

To assist you in fully understanding the situation, correspondence with President Powers and Provost Leslie is printed in full in this edition. Also printed in full is a History document prepared by the Commanding Officers of the NROTC, the Army ROTC and the Air Force ROTC, outlining the events leading up to the present situation. An Executive Summary of same is also included. Lastly a brief synopsis of the February 8th meeting with Provost Leslie; Dean Diehl, College of Liberal Arts; and the three ROTC Commanders are included. All the ROTCs are equally at risk.

If, after reading this material you are moved to do so, you are encouraged to correspond with each or any of the officials, listed on page 14 of this newsletter, to voice your concerns but express your confidence that the University will act promptly and appropriately to address the relocation issues.

JOINT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Outlined by ROTC Commanders

• Air Force, Army, and Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) operations at the University of Texas at Austin (UT) may be at risk, if current relocation plans are not modified in the near term. o Rapid action, to include near-term funding and a longer-term formal commitment by the UT administration, can create a satisfactory facility for ROTC operations. • Russell A. Steindam Hall (RAS) – the location of UT ROTC since 1958 – is slated for demolition in October 2010 to make room for new College of Liberal Arts (COLA) construction. o RAS was purpose built for ROTC. It meets all ROTC requirements outlined in current support agreements between UT and individual military Services. • COLA, ROTC’s host college, has neither the resources to adequately house ROTC within its domain nor the authority to find a solution within the larger UT complex. Continued on Page 2

1 Volume 15, Issue 1 February 2010

Alumni Foundation Officers Joint Executive Summary continued… Edwin W. “Ed” Mergele (1975) COLA’s current relocation proposal is deemed unsuitable by all three ROTC President o Michael Waldron (1967) commanders due to lack of resources to adequately modify the designated Vice President David Wells (1969) building and the resultant negative impact on ROTC mission. Secretary o ROTC commanders, in coordination with UT’s ROTC committee (a panel of Dan O’Neil (1980) Treasurer four permanent faculty), formalized this assessment in a joint letter to the UT Edwin W. “Ed” Mergele (1975) President in Nov 2009 (See Letter on Page 5) Editor/Publisher James D. Brotherton (1968) o UT Provost is directed to work toward a solution Historian • ROTC commanders met with the Provost on February 8, 2010. (See Letter to Alumni Foundation Provost on page 7 and PNS Report on page 8) Board of Directors James D. Brotherton (1968) • University of Texas System Board of Regent’s final consideration of the W. Robert Brown (1952) financing and construction plan for the new Liberal Arts building is scheduled for John Engstrom (1966) Luis de la Garza (1966) May 2010. James N. Higdon (1967) R. Glenn Looney (1961) Edwin W. “Ed” Mergele (1975) HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Fred Moon (1970) Dan O’Neil (1980) RAS was built in 1958 and was designed to be the permanent home of the Army, Gabriel R. Salazar (1979) Navy, and Air Force ROTC units at UT. The building is named after First Lieutenant Spencer Smith (1973) Russell A. Steindam, a UT graduate killed in action in 1971 while serving in South Michael Waldron (1967) David Wells (1969) Vietnam. First Lieutenant Steindam gained his commission through the UT Army ROTC program and was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously Ex-Officio Members CAPT James M. Spence, USN for his heroism. In 1972, UT recognized his service and sacrifice to his country by Professor of Naval Science naming the ROTC building in his honor. Jack Ritter (1955) Navy League Liaison RAS remains essentially in the same configuration since its construction. The three ROTC units have optimized the building's approximately 33,000 square feet to meet Regional Directors Ray Adams (1980) their mission of training young men and women to serve as officers in the nation's DFW (H) 972-596-7188 four armed services. The building houses facilities to accommodate the many Keys Curry (1958) military-unique training requirements essential to cadet and midshipmen training. Houston (H) 713-783-8185 Robert Hancock (1967) Facilities to store government-furnished equipment including uniforms, field gear, West (H) 619-586-0036 and non-functional and facsimile weapons, office space for the uniformed staff K. J. Moore (1964) Eastern (H) 703-759-3327 instructors, administration spaces, and cadet/midshipmen meeting rooms are all Rudy Kruger (1963) contained within RAS. Central (H) 402-331-6557 Henry Harper (1965) RAS was originally built to house ROTC units that were much larger than they are Mountain (H) 208-522-7776 today. For instance, throughout the 1960s, the Naval ROTC unit was comprised of

Midshipmans Foundation over 200 midshipmen, roughly twice the size of the current unit. As ROTC unit sizes Directors changed and the overall UT student body increased, nine classrooms were ceded to W. Robert Brown (1952) university general use. Three classrooms remain reserved exclusively for ROTC use. Clay W.G. Fulcher (1955) Robert L. Gartner (1965) The three ROTC units regularly use the general purpose classrooms in RAS for both John Hitchock (1965) academic and military training functions. J. Weldon Koenig (1958) Max Miller (1957) The ROTC Rifle Range (RRN), adjacent to RAS is also scheduled for demolition. Dan O’Neil (1980) This facility has a classroom, storage areas, and a 25-yard, multi-lane shooting range Midshipmans Foundation currently qualified for .22 caliber rifle and pistol target shooting. It is used by all Advisory Directors three ROTC units, the UT Rifle and Pistol Team, and for Junior ROTC shooting Jefferson D. Howell (1961) Donald S. Inbody matches. Spencer Smith (1973) The three UT ROTC units are administratively attached to the College of Liberal Arts Chairman, Gifts Committee (COLA) and each unit is designated a separate department within the college. The W. Robert Brown (1952) Commanding Officer of each ROTC unit is designated a Department Chair within

Printing of the UT NROTC COLA and each Chair regularly participates in numerous activities and forums such as university and college graduation ceremonies and Department Chair meetings. Alumni Log generously donated By Raytheon Company Continued on Page 3 McKinney, Texas 2 Volume 15, Issue 1 February 2010 President’s Corner Ed Mergele ’75

This is a serious situation for our NROTC Program on the UT campus. Your Board has appointed a committee of three; Bob Brown ‘52, Luis de la Garza ’66, and Gabe Salazar ’79; to spearhead our efforts to get this situation satisfactorily and timely resolved, but we need your help, too. In early February, I expressed my feelings and concerns, and those of the Board, in a letter to President Powers (see page 10). All of us need to do what we can (e.g. make phone calls, write letters, etc.) to help UT solve this problem and keep our NROTC one of the best NROTC programs in the country.

Historical Background continued…

COLA provides a modest amount of financial support to the three ROTC units for student activities such as military balls and commissioning ceremonies. COLA is the single largest college at UT and the largest Liberal Arts teaching entity in the nation, with an enrollment of over 14,000 graduate and undergraduate students and 700 professors in twenty departments. COLA students are taught in buildings dispersed throughout the university and unlike the other colleges at UT, there is no single structure that serves as a primary college facility where departments are collectively located. This dispersal of faculty and students throughout the university's large campus has been identified by COLA as the single largest challenge in its ability to encourage collaboration between the faculty and students in the many and varied Liberal Arts disciplines taught. The resulting lack of synergy has been identified as a significant issue for attracting and retaining high caliber faculty.

Recent History

A series of structural upgrades were completed to RAS in the summer of 2005. These upgrades included the replacement of the 40 year old roof, outfitting of computer rooms for student use, refurbishing of deteriorating electrical wiring, and the upgrading of the classrooms with computer and electronic/video aides that were the standard for the university. Although some significant issues remained with the buildings mechanical systems (HVAC, electrical distribution, plumbing, etc), these systems were deemed adequate at the time and were not upgraded. As of the summer of 2005, the university's master construction plan had no provisions nor funding requirements identified for replacing RAS or for upgrading the mechanical systems of the building. It was apparent at that time that the UT long term facility plan intended to keep RAS as the permanent home for the three ROTC units for the foreseeable future.

In the summer of 2006, the University of Texas System Board of Regents approved the construction of a Student Activity Center (SAC) building on campus. The cost of the building was financed by an additional building fee charged to each UT student and required little direct financial support from the University of Texas System or UT. The SAC is intended to house student meeting rooms, classrooms and dining facilities for all students. This building will be located on the parking lot and campus grounds immediately adjacent to RAS. Construction of the SAC began in the fall of 2008 with an estimated completion in the summer of 2010.

In the late spring of 2007, an initiative was started by COLA to build a single structure on campus that would house many of its departments. As originally envisioned, this facility would bring together, for the first time at the UT campus, much of the COLA faculty and students in one centralized location and thereby address COLA's significant dispersal problem and resulting lack of synergy and collaboration concerns. The new Liberal Arts facility would provide department administrative spaces, faculty and graduate student facilities and meeting rooms, and classrooms under one roof. The location identified on the campus was the campus area where RAS and the adjacent rifle range were located.

The new Liberal Arts building initiative was undertaken by COLA to capitalize on the Student Activity Center construction planning that was already underway in the spring of 2007. Construction analysis showed by building the two buildings simultaneously, significant cost and construction challenges brought about by the confined construction area on campus would be avoided. COLA gained University of Texas approval for the project and began an aggressive fund raising campaign to finance the cost of the new Liberal Arts building.

In the summer of 2007, the three ROTC departments were approached by COLA representatives to assess their building space requirements. The three departments were advised that they would be placed in the new Liberal Arts facility upon

Continued on Page 4 3 Volume 15, Issue 1 February 2010

Vice President’s Corner Mike Waldron ’67

It’s like an eerie step back in time every quarter when the Board of Directors meeting is held at the old RAS (NROTC) Building. I trudge up the same steps as I did over 45 years ago heading to freshman year Naval Orientation class. I can’t help but think of the many midshipmen who have climbed those same steps before and after me to become first line patriots defending history’s greatest democracy. Within those hallowed halls is where many brilliant careers were launched both short and long. Those memories will last forever.

Now in the name of progress RAS will be giving way to a new university facility without much reverence of what this time honored program has meant as an institution on the UT campus. Although much planning and funding has been devoted to the demolition of RAS and new construction, not so much for a new home for NROTC. All of us who have benefited from being part of this program must now insure that generations of midshipmen to come have the same opportunities we had. Our country and school are better for having an NROTC program on campus. We must now do whatever we can to insure the future of this program. “Battle Stations” has sounded. We need you to write or call those who can affect decisions being made and help UT solve this problem. We need long and short term solutions for the next home of the NROTC Program at UT if we are to keep attracting good officer candidates.

Recent History continued… its completion. Space requirements, to include unique ROTC training requirements, were needed to be properly included in the scope of the new facility. Detailed discussions were conducted to determine to what extent the 33,000 square feet currently utilized by the ROTC departments in RAS could be reduced. The three ROTC departments acknowledged reductions could be made through consolidations, eliminations, and sharing of facilities with other departments that were to be relocated in the new facility. A 22,000 to 24,000 square foot requirement was initially agreed upon. Additionally, interim re-location to other campus facilities during construction was discussed and several options were presented by the COLA representatives to the three ROTC departments. All of these options included temporarily placing some of the ROTC functions (department administrative staff, supply and storage of ROTC unique equipment, etc) off campus at a university owned building on 15th and Guadalupe Street. It was agreed that meeting rooms for students and shared offices for ROTC advisors were to be provided on campus during the construction, but no specific offices or meeting rooms were identified.

By the end of the fall semester in 2007, the leadership of COLA came to the realization that funding would not be in place in time to build the new Liberal Arts facility simultaneously with the Student Activity Center. However, construction analysis showed that approximately $15 million in costs could be avoided if the two projects were done sequentially. A decision was made by COLA, and eventually approved by the University and Board of Regents, to begin construction of the new Liberal Arts facility in the summer of 2010 to coincide with the completion of the SAC. Additionally, the scope of the new facility was increased to approximately 200,000 square feet and the cost was increased to approximately $100 million. With the exception of three departments that will remain in their centrally located buildings on the University's south mall, the larger structure would now be able to house all of COLA academic (non-ROTC) departments. Additionally, all of the College's two dozen centers of excellence, such as the acclaimed Schusterman Center for Jewish Studies and the Populations Research Center, will be moved to the new Liberal Arts facility. Construction is set to begin in the fall of 2010 and the facility will be completed by the summer of 2013.

The decision to increase the scope of the Liberal Arts building to be able to accommodate all but three of COLA academic departments resulted in the three ROTC departments being removed from their planned inclusion in the new structure. The three ROTC departments were approached in the spring of 2008 and offered space in the Geography (GRG) building. GRG was dedicated in 1950 and contains approximately 16,000 square feet of usable space. This space allocation for ROTC would be comprised of office, classroom and storage space only and would not include the rifle range. Most of the reduction in square footage would come from storage areas and student common use areas such as lounges, meeting rooms and libraries/heritage spaces. In the spring of 2009, COLA commissioned an interior design architect and space planner to make recommendations on required renovations and to allocate specific spaces to ROTC offices and functions. COLA stated that renovation funding was promised by the Provost as all available COLA resources were going towards construction of the new Liberal Arts facility. It was acknowledged at the time that renovation funding

Continued on Page 8

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ROTC Commanders’ Letter to President Powers 5 Volume 15, Issue 1 February 2010

President Powers’ Reply to the ROTC Commanders 6 Volume 15, Issue 1 February 2010

ROTC Commanders’ Letter to Provost Leslie

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CO’s SITREP

Report on February 8th Meeting with Provost Leslie

On Monday 8 February the three UT ROTC commanding officers met with the UT Provost, Dr Steve Leslie, the Executive Vice Provost, Dr Stephen Monti, and the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, Dr Randy Diehl. This meeting had been directed by the UT President to discuss a way ahead with regard to the pending move of ROTC units from Russell A. Steindam Hall to the Geography Building. The three ROTC commanding officers had previously indicated to the President that there were significant issues remaining with this move and that the Geography Building, as it is currently configured, would not meet ROTC’s needs.

This meeting proved to be fruitful in that there was recognition by all involved that GRG is unsuitable for ROTC without significant renovation. Dr Leslie indicated that several options were being considered to provide both near and long-term solutions. He stated that it was premature to discuss these options but pledged to meet regularly with all stake holders over the next several months in order to produce a mutually agreed plan. Dr Leslie acknowledged the requirement to submit the ROTC housing plan to the Board of Regents for approval in May 2010 as part of the final financing and construction package for the new College of Liberal Arts building.

Recent History continued… would be constrained by reductions in the university endowment and state-mandated budget cuts. Planning was also hampered by the fact that renovations exceeding $50K would invoke aspects of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) forcing even larger structural renovations requiring a much larger budget.

The architect and interior designer conducted a thorough study of ROTC space utilization and mission requirements through the summer of 2010. At the request of the ROTC Commanders, a study of structural changes required in order to optimize GRG to the missions and functions currently conducted in each unit was included in this analysis. The study came away with two principle conclusions: 1) Basement renovations to convert the current wet labs to appropriate space for the storage of government equipment and a minimum of rehabilitative work, painting and re-carpeting, on the upper three floors would cost approximately $850K. Since this ground floor area of the building is accessible to the disabled, it was hoped that these renovations could take place while not triggering ADA compliance issues for the rest of the building. This work needed to start in the early spring of 2010 to be ready for a planned move of ROTC units in the summer of 2010. 2) A more thorough renovation to optimize the upper three floors including movement of walls to provide a more open office environment for all three ROTC unit executive staffs, conversion of some restroom facilities to provide single or dual shower stalls, and the enlargement of some classroom spaces would cost another $1.8M. The length of time required to complete these more extensive renovations require a phased approach with further detail to be worked out. Within the two proposed work packages, it was acknowledged by all that the basement conversion was an absolute necessity. The renovation of the upper floors was treated as a design study in case a determination was made the GRG would be the long-term home of ROTC and resources became available.

As noted, at no time was the on-campus reconstitution of the shooting range contemplated in planning. Proposals were floated by COLA to contract out both the shooting range and deep storage equipment requirements to off-campus facilities. These proposals would significantly increase the logistical burden on the ROTC units.

In response to this study, a joint letter, signed by all three ROTC Commanders was sent to President Powers stating that the long-term effectiveness of ROTC at UT was at risk (See Letter on Page 5). The letter noted the COLA-proposed GRG remodeling package would not provide suitable offices, adequate storage, or the full complement of currently available student assembly, drill, shooting range, or heritage areas. It was also noted that the proposed move of ROTC units to GRG violates current space provision agreements between UT and the respective Service Departments. The letter asked the President to hold the ROTC relocation in abeyance until short and long-term solutions and resources were identified. In response, the President directed the Provost to meet with COLA and ROTC Commanders to discuss a way ahead.

Continued on Page 9 8 Volume 15, Issue 1 February 2010

From the Chairman of the Midshipmans Foundation

Your Midshipmans Foundation continues the march to establishing an endowment that provides assistance to our young men and women attending the University of Texas at Austin who are members of the UT NROTC unit. We are getting close and ask you to continue your support with a pledge this year. We are supporting the effort to ensure that space for our ROTC programs continues to exist on our campus and also ask you to contact your friends and staff at the university who might assist in reaching a reasonable solution. My letter to President Powers was acknowledged and he assured us that the University of Texas will make every effort to accommodate the facility needs of the ROTC programs. Space is scarce and the current financial conditions limit the options available. I strongly recommended that our facility should receive highest priority to ensure that our young people receive the best training and education available. J. Weldon Koenig ’58

Recent History concluded.

In December of 2009, ROTC Commanders were notified by COLA that funding had not been identified by the Provost for either proposed renovation package. In addition, difficulty was encountered in finding space for current GRG inhabitants. ROTC Commanders were asked to consider utilizing space for storage in the Anna Hiss Gymnasium (AHG) basement. While significant unused space exists in AHG, it is not a COLA facility and significant renovation would be required to meet storage security requirements. Final approval for funding and construction of the proposed Liberal Arts building by the University of Texas System Board of Regents is scheduled for May 2010.

CHALLENGE 2010

In 2009 contributions to our scholarship fund slightly exceeded $120,000.00, the largest amount in contributions ever received by the Midshipmans Foundation from individual donors in one year! Thanks to all of you who contributed and made that happen.

The CHALLENGE was the big motivator for our hugely successful year. You will recall that one of our loyal, dedicated Alumni committed to donate $50,000.00 per year for five years to the Midshipmans Foundation. There is a condition, however. To receive the $50,000.00 each year, other donors to the Foundation must provide an equal amount in donations.

In 2008 and 2009 we met the first two years of the CHALLENGE. Now we have the same opportunity again in 2010.

Please make your plans now to do your part to meet the 2010 CHALLENGE. If we can MEET THE CHALLENGE then we will have paid back our debt to the Unit for the opportunities offered and education provided when we were in school. We will also have made life measurably better for the present and future members of the Battalion. Some day those battalion members may go in harms way for you and your family.

Please make your pledge now to meet the CHALLENGE for 2010. A short email to our Treasurer, Bob Gartner, [email protected], will do the job. Just tell Bob who you are and what amount you pledge.

Bob Brown, Chairman, Gifts Committee

RETRACTION AND CORRECTION Howard R. Lowe is alive and well at the age of 86. Sorry for the slip up. In our last newsletter, the word “late” was mistakenly added in naming the donor of a fine book collection to the NROTC Unit. Howard has expressed his desire to have the library, in which the collection will be housed, named the WWII Memorial Library, in memory of those who served. A more formal dedication of the library is planned for the fall. Howard R. Lowe is a member of the Class of February 1944. The Editor regrets any anxiety this may have caused anyone who knows Howard.

9 Volume 15, Issue 1 February 2010

UT NROTC Alumni Foundation’s Letter to President Powers, Page 1

10 Volume 15, Issue 1 February 2010

UT NROTC Alumni Foundation’s Letter to President Powers, Page 2

11 Volume 15, Issue 1 February 2010

Nostalgia Portal

The R.O.T.C Building 1957 Russell A. Steindam Hall By Ed Mergele

This year marks our 70th year as a program on campus. Our Charter Letter, dated September 11, 1940, addressed to then UT President Homer P. Rainey and signed by Acting Secretary of the Navy, James Forrestal, authorized the program for the UT campus. Information is sketchy at this point, but we’d like all class members to contribute to this project of mapping out our program history from those first graduating Ensigns and 2nd Lieutenants. Littlefield House, built in 1893 for $50,000 by a generous campus benefactor, George Littlefield, appears to be the first home of our program. Reportedly they had a firing range in the attic and a gun mount on the front lawn! According to Margaret Berry’s book, Brick by Golden Brick, Navy ROTC was housed in the Littlefield House from 1942 to 1957. Probably as early as 1942 plans were being developed, though, for a new, more permanent and better facility. One set in university archives, dating back to that period, was by Robert Leon White, supervising architect for the university, and included the ROTC Building and a Band Hall Building! A review of the 1946-1950 Cactus yearbooks reveals that not only did the unit have a Regimental Band, but they also had a Swing Band, a Drum & Bugle Corps and a Glee Club! Continued on Page 13 1947 Cactus Photo of the Gun Mount – University United Methodist Church in the Background

Littlefield House Today

1946 Cactus Photo of the Littlefield House Gun Mount in front of NROTC Program’s Littlefield House First Home

1949 Cactus Photo CAPT Henry Y. McCown (PNS Dec 1945 to Apr 1949) in front of Littlefield House

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Nostalgia Portal: ROTC Building continued…

On November 9, 1957 a new ROTC Building was dedicated to house UT’s three ROTC Programs, the Army’s unit having been established in September 1947 and the Air Force’s unit having been established in 1951. The principal address at the dedication was made by William H. Francis, Jr., Asst. Secretary of Defense. The architects were Brooks and Barr, who were very active on campus during that time and had served as consulting architects for the UT System for five years. Howard R. Barr, one of the principals of the firm, was commissioned in the U.S. Naval Reserve in November 1942, he served on active duty for three years and later took inactive duty retirement with the rank of LCDR. The firm of Brooks and Barr also later did the Lyndon Baines Johnson Space Center (NASA) and the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum in Austin. The firm eventually evolved into the present day firm of 3D/International, Inc., based out of Houston. The ROTC Building appears to have been purposefully built for use by the ROTC programs. The building was a three story modern brick structure with a basement, armory, and loading dock, comprising approximately 33,000 square feet. Plans for the Rifle Range were prepared by the same firm and it was constructed in 1964 for $90,000 to replace the old firing range that would have interfered with East Mall development. The ROTC classes were much larger during these years than they are now. When the draft ended in January 1973, I RAS – Front on East Mall believe the NROTC Unit went from 400 midshipmen to roughly half of that, though those figures probably bear some further research.

On April 29, 1972, the ROTC Building was officially renamed Russell A. Steindam Hall in honor of Army 1st Lt. Russell A. Steindam, BA ’68, who died in Vietnam on February 1, 1970, and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor by President Nixon on December 16, 1971. The north lobby bears a plaque and a display case of memorabilia dedicated to 1st Lt. Steindam. The plaque states that the ROTC Building was dedicated to his memory by the Board of Regents, the faculty and the students of the University of Texas at Austin on November 11, 1972.

Later classes will remember when the elevator was added to the Westside of the building. Well, here’s your chance to contribute to our unit history. With the demise of RAS this fall one more chapter in this unit’s history will have been closed, lots of it yet undocumented. I think we need to capture as much of our storied past as we can while we can. RAS in 2009 – Westside View This is a very good year to do it. Write me.

In Memoriam John Wildenthal ’44

John Wildenthal, 87, passed away February 12, 2010, due to complications of Parkinson's disease. John, a native of Cotulla, Texas, graduated valedictorian of his Cotulla High School class of 1938. He entered the NROTC program at the University of Texas in the spring of 1942, and graduated with highest honors. He was commissioned in the Naval Reserves in February 1944. He served on the USS McFarland and the USS Dyess in the Pacific during WWII. After the war, John returned to UT and graduated from law school in 1950. He became an attorney on the staff of then Senator Lyndon B. Johnson in Washington D.C. and later served as an attorney in the office of the General Counsel of the Renegotiation Board. Returning to Cotulla in 1953 to practice law, John was selected to represent the Laredo Senatorial District on the State Democratic Executive Committee. In 1958 he was elected LaSalle County Attorney. When he was appointed an Assistant Attorney General, he moved to Austin where he married Continued on Page 14 13 Volume 15, Issue 1 February 2010 KEY PEOPLE TO WRITE TO

Below are addresses, phone numbers, fax numbers and email addresses for various key people you may want to contact as relates to the RAS situation. Senator John Cornyn Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison Dr. Francisco G. Cigarroa, Chancellor 517 Hart Senate Office Bldg. 284 Russell Senate Office Building University of Texas Board of Regents Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20510 601 Colorado Street, 4th Floor Main: 202-224-2934 Main: 202-224-5922 O. Henry Hall Room 404 Fax: 202-228-2856 Fax: 202-224-0776 Austin, Texas 78701-2982 Main: 512-499-4201 President William Powers, Jr. Dr. Steven W. Leslie [email protected] The University of Texas at Austin Executive Vice President and Provost Main Building 400 The University of Texas at Austin Dr. Randy L. Diehl P. O. Box T 1 University Station G1000 Dean, College of Liberal Arts Austin, Texas 78713-8920 Austin, TX 78712-0538 The University of Texas at Austin Main: 512-471-1232 Main: 512-471-4363 GEB 3.200C [email protected] Fax: 512-475-7385 Austin, Texas 78712 [email protected] Main: 512-232-8058 Dr. Steven A. Monti [email protected] Executive Vice Provost Dr. Paul B. Woodruff The University of Texas at Austin Dean, School of Undergraduate Studies Main Building, Room 201 Flawn Academic Center, Room 406 Austin, Texas 78712-1111 1 University Station G8000 Main: 512-232-3306 Austin, Texas 78712 Fax: 512-471-0577 Main: 512-475-7000 [email protected] [email protected] (Copy only if writing to Dr. Leslie) (Copy only if writing to Dr. Diehl)

John Wildenthal Memorial concluded.

Carolyn Harris. In 1961, they moved to Houston, where in 1963, John was named City Attorney by incoming mayor Louie Welch. Alter two years in this position, John resumed his private law practice until being appointed a Municipal Judge. Serving under Mayors Hofheinz, McConn, Whitmire, Lanier, and Brown, he retired in 2001 after 25 years on the bench. He was a member of the Houston, State and Federal Bar Associations, and a continuing sustaining life fellow of the Houston Bar Foundation. He was licensed to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States. John was a caring, compassionate person whose life exemplified service to others. He received the Distinguished Life Award from St. Luke's United Methodist Church and The Distinguished Service Award from the University of Texas NROTC Midshipmans Foundation. He served on the board of the Institute of Religion and the Texas Conference of Churches, was president of the Houston Council on Human Relations, and participated in many other ecumenical organizations. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Gulf Coast Waste Disposal Authority for thirty years where he held both the Chairman and Vice-Chairman positions. A voracious reader and one who never tired of learning, John was on the Board of Visitors of McDonald Observatory and the Department of Astronomy at the University of Texas for more than 30 years. A life member of that organization, he served on the executive committee since 1985. At UT, he was also a member of the Chancellor's Council and the Littlefield Society. He was predeceased by his parents, Lois Pearce Wildenthal and John Wildenthal Sr. He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Carolyn Harris Wildenthal, son John Mark Wildenthal and wife Marie of Lewis Center, Ohio; daughter Betsy Wildenthal Cohen and husband Jeff of Bellevue, Washington; by four grandchildren: Ruth Carolyn Wildenthal, John Alan Wildenthal, Katherine Ann Cohen, and John Barnett Cohen; sister Eloise Wildenthal Selke; several nieces and nephews, and many other loving relatives and friends. John’s family asked that memorial contributions in his name be made to St. Luke's United Methodist Church Foundation, Midshipmans Foundation, The University of Texas at Austin, McDonald Observatory, or to a charity of your choice.

The LinkedIn group us up and running. It’s called “University of Texas NROTC Alumni”. All are encouraged to join. Contact Dan O’Neil, the group manager, by email at [email protected] and get yourself linked in.

14 Volume 15, Issue 1 February 2010 In Memoriam William T. "Ted" Read ’55

William "Ted" Read, 76, of Bryan, passed away Monday, February 1, 2010, at his residence in Bryan. Ted was born September 21, 1933, in Kilgore, Texas. His parents were William Philander Read and Pastoria Grant Read. Ted spent his childhood years in rural Southern Arkansas, El Dorado, AR, and Ft. Wayne, IN. After graduating from El Dorado High School in 1951, he attended the University of Texas at Austin on a Navy ROTC scholarship. He graduated in 1955 and launched his decorated, 23- year military service to the country. On July 29, he married his college sweetheart, Norma Jean Brock of Houston and thus began their loving, 54-year life together. After receiving his degree, Ted attended USMC Basic School for officers in 1955-56, and then was selected for US Naval Flight School in 1956-57. In 1957, he was designated a Naval Aviator. Ted then attended US Naval Helicopter training and was designated a helicopter pilot in 1959. In 1965, he attended USMC Amphibious Warfare School and then later, US Naval Postgraduate School in 1969, where he was awarded a Master of Science in Management degree. His 23 years of Marine Corps service included three one-year tours in the Western Pacific as a helicopter pilot, including one combat tour in Vietnam, plus three years as a pilot in HMX-1, the helicopter squadron supporting the president of the United States. He finished his military career as Deputy Project Manager for the development of the Marine Corps' CH-53E heavy helicopter. In 1978, he retired from the USMC as a Lt. Colonel. Ted received two Distinguished Flying Cross awards, an Air Medal (24 awards for 492 combat missions), Presidential Service Badge, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, Presidential Unit Citation, plus numerous campaign and service awards. He belonged to the Marine Corps Aviation Association, the Marine Combat Helicopter Association, and the Military Officers Association of America. After his retirement from the USMC, Ted served as Vice-President and Senior Vice-President of two aerospace consulting firms in Arlington, VA between 1978 and 1984. He and Norma then returned to Texas where they operated a cattle ranch in Robertson County, Texas. He also served as Robertson County Republican Party Chairman from 1986 to 1991. In 1998, he was elected to the Continued on Page 16 In Memoriam Wayne E. Miers ’65

WAYNE E. MIERS, passed away on Friday, February 5, 2010, at the age of 67. He was born in San Antonio, Texas, on December 31, 1942. Wayne grew up in San Antonio and graduated in 1961 from Highlands High School, where he was the editor of the yearbook. He then attended the University of Texas at Austin on a Naval ROTC scholarship. At UT Wayne served in several campus organizations and lived in the "Crow's Nest," the housing for Naval ROTC midshipmen. He graduated from UT in 1965 with a BA degree in mathematics and a minor in German, and was commissioned in the US Navy as an Ensign. After attending nuclear power school in Vallejo, California, he was then stationed in Idaho Falls, Idaho, for nuclear power prototype training, which he completed in June 1966. On July 3, 1966, he married his college sweetheart, Joan Arrington. They moved to New London, Connecticut, where he completed submarine school in December 1966. Wayne served as weapons officer on the U.S.S. Odax, submarine based in Charleston, South Carolina, and the U.S.S. Benjamin Franklin, nuclear submarine based in Guam, while residing in Hawaii. When his service commitment was satisfied, he left the Navy and began his business career with Houston Lighting and Power and soon joined the Houston office of Arthur Andersen, later Andersen Consulting (now Accenture). He obtained an MBA degree from the University of Houston in 1973. He was promoted to Partner in 1981 and retired from the firm on his 50th birthday, December 31, 1992. Throughout his career Wayne was an enthusiastic supporter of Junior Achievement, serving as Chairman of the Board of Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas. In retirement Wayne enjoyed playing golf on a daily basis. In addition to being an avid golfer, he was a supporter of the University of Texas Midshipmans Foundation. He will always be remembered as a caring husband, father, and grandfather. Wayne is survived by his loving wife of 43 years, Joan Arrington Miers; his son, Jeffrey Todd Miers, his wife Amy, and their daughters, Sloan and Brooke; his daughter, Stacy Miers Rider, her husband Tim and their son, Turner; his mother-in-law, Ruth Ramsay Arrington; his sister-in-law, Joyce Arrington Smith; his niece, Jamie Smith Luff, and her husband Martin; and other members of his extended family. He was predeceased by his mother and stepfather, Louise and Billy L. Tinkle, and by his father-in-law, James R. Arrington. A military funeral service celebrating Wayne's life was held on Tuesday, February 9, at Memorial Oaks Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requested that contributions in Wayne's memory be made to the UT Midshipmans Foundation or to Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas. 15

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In This Issue: UT NROTC Program at Risk! ...... 1 Executive Summary of RAS Situation ...... 1 Historical Background for RAS Situation ...... 2 President’s Corner ...... 3 Recent History on RAS Situation ...... 3 Vice President’s Corner...... 4 ROTC Commanders’ Letter to President Powers...... 5 President Powers’ Reply Letter to ROTC Commanders ...... 6 ROTC Commanders’ Letter to Provost Leslie ...... 7 CO’s SITREP: Report on Feb. 8 Meeting with Provost Leslie ...... 8 From the Chairman of the Midshipmans Foundation...... 9 Challenge 2010...... 9 Retraction & Correction: Howard R. Lowe and the WWII Memorial Library ...... 9 UT NROTC Alumni Foundation Letter to President Powers...... 10 Nostalgia Portal: Russell A. Steindam Hall...... 12 Memorial ...... 13 Key People to Write to ...... 14 Memorials...... 14

Ted Read Memorial concluded. Board of Directors of the Robertson County Water Supply Corporation. In 2002, the members of the board elected him to serve as the water company's Vice President, a position he continued to hold until his health forced him to resign and fully retire in 2003. He was preceded in death by his parents and four brothers, J.P. Read, J.C. Read, C.D. Read, and R.M. Read. Survivors include his wife, Norma Jean Read, of Bryan; son and daughter-in-law, Steve and Phyllis Read, of Richmond, Texas; son, Michael Read, of Weed, CA; Daughter, Terri Horton, of Bryan, Texas; grandchildren, Callen Horton and Judd Horton, both of Bryan, Texas; and sister, June Cox, of Arlington, Texas. 16