S o y '7li« Htc$ is not al¥ta^t h iki smftisi but h ihota kup an funning" 50ccnt» VOLUME LXXVVI FRIDAY, September 15, 1995 Number 2 New "Cadet VMI Football Wins the Day Connection" JamaTamal TVi/-»m<iThoma«s ^^ Program Links Sports Wnter Remember a couple of yeai* Alumni With Rats ago when the Buflalo Bills played the louston Oilers? The Oilers lead 31 -3 Far from Home omewhere near the end of the third Robert A, Buerlein quarter It seemed things were Qinirmnn, Pnrrnti rfiiinril ooking bad at Bills Stadium The fans The new "Cadet Connection'' ivere angry, nothing was going right, program at VMI gives added mean- ?ills quarterback Jim Kelly was ing to the term "VMI Family" while njured, and it seemed the day was lost bringing together alumni and parents "or Buffalo. However, little did the of the cadets with cadets themselves. Itilers know that there was still plenty Kicked off on matriculation if time on the clock and that the Bills day, more than a dozen cadets/parents rvere going to take advantage of that met with the Chaplain to enroll in it. -ipjxirtunity Well, the Bills stagedone The program works by 3f the most dramatic comebacks in the matching up volunteer cadets (espe- listoi^' of professional football win- cially Rats) with volunteer alumni - iing 34-31 in overtime. The players or even present VMI parents — to md the fans were on fire. develop a one-on-one relationship Although the lead was not which IS mutually beneficial hat great against the Keydets last For cadets who participate, it Saturday, the team overcame a large jives them a closer connection writh lumber of bad plays, penalties, and 'older adults" within the VMI Fam- lisgruntled fans, not to mention a 51 - ily~a special benefit for cadets a long 8 loss at the hands of Richmond the way from home or whose parents leek before The team captured can't visit often. This type of mature )erhaps one of the greatest come- mentoring is particularly important for acks in school history in their 50-31 a Rat, in addition to the considerable .in against the Liberty Flames, assistance he receives from his dyke. Tiproving their record to 1 -1 before Through the program. Alumni ,211 at Alumni Memorial Field. Junior tailback Thomas Hashns takes the handofffivm sophomore quarterback AlLester. These two combined to lead the Keydets to a decisive victory over the nationally ranked Liberty Flames who don't have sons in the Cadet Sec Football - Sports Page 9 brps can now, in effect, "adopt" one and, in the process, have a direct link to the core of the Coips-the iiuide of VWIL and VMI Interact Three German Officers Serve the barracks. Questions such as, "^ow Alternative Program Shows Promise IS the Rat line doing?" "What kind of a Tour of Duty at the job is the first class doing this year Chris Bowers bly appropriated funds for the pro- running operations?" "How do you News Writer gram. When asked about how events feel about the new policy of...?", can complicating the Citadel's efforts to now be answered directly through this The Virginia Women's Insti- set up a program similar to V.W.I.L. new "personal link" with the Institute. tute for Leadership held its first ROTC in South Carolina might have any bear- For Alumni this means not just classes at V.M.I, on August 28. The ing on V.M.I, efforts, Strickler stated gazing on the barracks with fond program, developed in cooperation "We are beyond them in the courts", memories, but actually going inside between Mary Baldwin and V.M.I., but added that the proceedings are so "your" cadet's room, getting to know will conduct only ROTC classes. complicated that anything can happen. his brother Rats and even having a They will not participate in curricular Col N. Michael Bissell, spe- meal with him on or offfXMt, or when- or co-cumcular activities at V.M.I.. cial assistant to the Superintendent for ever your self-determined schedule V W I L. consists of 42 the V.W.I.L. program, said the Viiginia allows. David Mann '49c, who has women who ranked in the top ten per- Women's Institute for Leadership was "adopted" a cadet from overseas, cent of their respective high school not created overnight. "Baldwin had says "I can attest that the experience classes They are being initially trained this vision yeare ago" he said, but is infinitely gratifying to the alumni, Ike by a non-V WI L. Mary Baldwin added that V M.I.'s legal situation has- myself, who have not had the plea- ROTC Cadre until a V.W.I.L. upper- tened the effort He further stated that sure of enrolling a son at VMT class takes control next year. A Cadre Mary Baldwin's admiiustration and German officers visit (M/ during an international exchange program They are In the process of enriching of V.M I's top members journeyed to fiiculty were enthusiastic about see- seen htre in front of the New Market Battlefield the souls of the Old Corps, cadets can Baldwin to tram their Cadre during ing the program get started, and added build a bond of friendship with "VMI Chris I^e taiy duty is performed only once a tJieir orientation jjeriod. the V.M.I, cadets who helped train the adults" who can be there, either in News Editor month. Furthcmwre, Bundeswehr stu- person or by a telephone call, when In addition to regular aca- V.W.I.L. Cadre 'Were outstanding dents are only required to stay within various needs pop up, from going stir demic and military style activities con- and performed like true professionals crazy to get out of the barracks, to ducted at Mary Baldwin, the V.W.I.L. during the sessions Three foreign oCTiccrs, 2nd tfK Hambou^ area during the houts be- helping with a class project which cadets will attend ROTC instruction When asked how V.M.I, ca- Lieutenants PoUmuUcr, Zwick, and tween 0700 and 1600. By the same might relate to the work experience at VM I Already, the cadets have dets will benefit from V.W.I.L's cre- Schmkh of the Genrun Anny, arc cur- token, the Bundeswehr is academicafly of the VMI adult counterpart undergone several physical and lead- ation, Bissell stated the program will rently visiting the Institute, attending grueling and more competitKe than ership enhancmg activities such as wil- present new social and cultural oppor- some of its classes, and curiously par- Gemiany's civiian univcraties. It was Chaplam Jim Park who recognized the opportuiity for this pro- derness training in Salem, VA which tunities for cadets here, while preserv- ticipating in several cadet social activi- The three German oflkers gram New to the corps beginning 1 IS similar to the V M I Rat Challenge ing single-sex education for both men ties. have not e.xclusivdy CKpenenced VMI^ program and women Coi Bissell stressed that July, 1994, Chaplain Park found, in The German s>stan rfmitaiy academic regimen. Aside from poli- many of his meetings with Alumni, a Lt.Col Michael Strickler, V W I L's cadet experience is just as education and the officer career path tics, economicti, and history classes, the yearning to be more closely related to VM 1 's public relations director, said stressful, strenuous, and challenging as are much di£ferert than anything found Gemians have learned a bole about the the student body Many of them felt the public resfxanse to V.W.I L has what cadets at V.M.I experience, but within the United States, especially at Vuginia college scene. They have al- the need above and beyond simply been "very favorable", also stating that with the absence of the Rat Line socializing with each other at sports the media coverage has also been ex- Nevertheless, he was quick to point the Institute. Most notably, the Ger- ready attended a mixer at Mary events and reuruons. They wanted a tremely favorable He also said Vir- out that the V W I L cadets had man officere are required to complete BakKvin, visited UVA, and had a few link with barracks itself guua State Government's response to bonded well and was full of praise for a three year period of enlistment be- bematThe Palms. V W I L has been very supportive, the women "They are a sharp, bril- fore receiving commissions. Accoiiding to Lt. Follmuller At the same time, as Chap- emphasizing tliat the General Assem- liant, physically fit group"! During the three year enlist- (with goatee) the choicest barinLcx- See Connect - Page 4 ment, prospective oificas are required ingMiso^ w^tKC rhel'alriis. Afchcugh to attend basic training, specialized many cadets might disagree with this branch schoob, infant[> aid/or aiibome sentiment, the German contingent's ^^Kctex: schoob, and serve as squad and pla- opinion of Ciozet might to some, seem toon leaden at the battalion level startling. When asked about Crozet >litks.. Pate) After completing thcHc asajgn- llaD dining, lieutenant Zwick pro- mei«s and reaching the oquivakail rank claimed 'we like it" lliey were par- J< b Sewch.„. of master seigeant, cancidates are com- ticularly impressed with the salad bar missioned as second heulcnants. As anl the amourt (i fresh vvgetablai, not N \SCAa.... ..P^t second beulenants, GcmuuiB are then to mention the comparative leamcas of required to attend formal schoob^ at Crozet meats. FfitlMai Update.