HIGHTY -TIGHTY NOTES In This Issue • Homecoming 2019 Date Change Pg. 6 • New Distinguished Alumnus Pg. 6 • A Vision for the Future Pg. 7 The official newsletter of the Highty-Tighty Alumni, Inc. Volume 43 Number 1 Winter 2019 Highty-Tighty Notes HIGHTY-TIGHTY ALUMNI, INC. Board of Directors - Elected Members Chuck Rowell, Jr. Bertram Y. Kinzey III George E. McMichael, Jr. David P. Williams Dirk I. McComsey Scott Beman HT ‘71 HT ‘68 HT ‘70 LTC, VaARNG HT ‘92 HT ‘01 President President Emeritus Past President HT ‘79 Vice President Vice President Half -Notes Editor Webmaster First VP Alumni Operations Development Historian VP for Recruiting Retention & Mkting Maria Jaeger Lori Keck -Beach M. Eugene Huffman Gene Harrison William L (Larry) Root Thomas J. Verbeck CDR, USNR (Ret.) HT ‘92 HT ‘64 HT ‘68 HT ‘72 BG, USAF (Ret) HT ‘87 HTAB Drum Major & Old Guard Liaison Director Director HT ‘73 Secretary Performance Officer Distinguished Highty -Tighty Director Alumni Robert E. Wilkinson Gary N. Jackson Michele Caldwell -Wrenn Barry W. Baird Scott Judd Gregory R. Milas HT ‘77 LTC, USA (Ret) HT ‘78 HT ‘89 HT ‘92 HT ‘92 HT ‘98 Director Director Director Director Director Director Robert W. Mauck Allie G. Oberoi Mike Francisco Jennifer Boehm Jennifer Harrison Lewey HT ‘03 HT ‘10 HT ‘74 HT ‘06 HT ‘07 Director Director Director Director Director 2 Winter 2019 PRESIDENT’S PAGE Introducing the New Highty-Tighty Alumni Band Hats calendars. Also, please Dear Highty -Tighty Alumni and friends, be sure to read the arti- cle by Dave Williams We hope you and your family had a blessed 2018 hol- on page 6 about our iday season. A new year is upon us and we are making recruiting and retention plans for another excellent year for activities. efforts. I like his There are some very good pictures of the Highty - thoughts on “our glori- Tighty Homecoming and Reunion this past November in ous past” and what we need to do to “march confidently this issue. We hope you enjoy them and thank all of our into the future.” photographers for their contribution of time and pictures. Thank you for all that you do to help the Band thrive Our Director, Sr. Chief Jim Bean is again reminding and keep the Tradition alive. us that the Band could use "gently used" instruments to help each Highty -Tighty to have an instrument to play Best wishes, when needed. Please contact Sr. Chief Bean at [email protected] to let him know what kind of instrument you might be able to donate. You do get an appropriate Chuck Rowell HT ’71 tax deductible donation amount for any quality gifts. President, HTA For over 30 years now, we have had the same Highty - Tighty Alumni Band hats to wear on Homecoming week- end. The supply of those is exhausted, and they are a little dated looking. For months, we have looked at various hat brands as well as many hat design variations. After many options, we have decided on the new design and hope you will like it. Here is a peek at the new hat. More information and details on page 14. I want to especially thank VP of Development Scott Beman for many hours of work on vetting hats and de- signs. We will be ordering a large supply to be ready to change over to the new hats at this year's Highty -Tighty Reunion. You will be able to order a new hat during the registration process for our weekend this Fall. We hope that you will like the better quality hat and new design. In closing, as I scan through a draft of this newsletter, I see a couple of items I’d like to highlight. First, Highty - Tighty Reunion has been set for October 18 -19. You will see that mentioned several times, so be sure to mark your 3 Highty-Tighty Notes DIRECTOR’S DOWNBEAT Senior Chief James Bean y ap- our jazz band and has been selected as the Navy proach ROTC’s CO this semester because of his exemplary Mto mu- devotion to duty and strength of leadership. sic and education This past fall yielded another satisfying football as HT band direc- season with our drum major, Patrick Treubert, at the tor is not just mu- helm. Patrick has been an outstanding leader, instil- sical, but consists ling confidence throughout the entire band. I know of monitoring ca- that if I ask or want something done, it will get done. dets’ progress as His upbeat and confident approach has been a joy to developing leaders and successful university stu- work with, and to see him grow from the quiet fresh- dents. As a “boot” chief going through the Navy’s man to the assertive and cool leader has been inspir- initiation program in the summer of 1997, the num- ing. ber one lesson learned was to “take care of your peo- While football season is always expected to be busy, ple.” Since their obligations in today’s Corps are this spring will prove to be just as chaotic. Our first mammoth, I sometimes must sacrifice rehearsal time ever drum clinic for local high school percussionists and even performances to see that their many obliga- is being sponsored by C/ Michael Tingler beginning tions and needs are met. I realize that students come on March 1. The clinic will feature a weekend of in- to the Corps of Cadets for a variety of reasons such struction on drumming, learning about the Corps, as leadership training, a commission in the armed and of course, Highty -Tighty membership. Thirty forces, and developing a lifelong level of discipline cadets and I will be traveling to Greensboro on not found in the average undergraduate. Hopefully, March 6 to cheer on the women’s basketball team as through the process, my HT members will also learn it competes in the annual ACC Tournament. On an appreciation and love of music to last a lifetime. March 15 the band will travel to Savannah, Georgia, While a member of the HTs is constantly required to once again for its St. Patrick’s Day festival. The give more, it does not come without its rewards. The Jaffe Eager Squad Competition in April is a band - fact is, involvement in the Highty Tighties creates “all hands” event, as the HTs strive to hold onto their exceptional cadets. first place finish from last year. Please mark your For the fourth spring in a row, a Highty -Tighty calendar for our annual concert on May 5 at 1:00 has been chosen as Regimental Commander. Colleen Pramenko, an Air Force ROTC member, is a won- derful musician and an exceptional example of the Corps’ values. Since freshman year, she has not only been a standout trumpeter in all of our groups but has exemplified the leadership approach of “excellence without arrogance.” Jacob Davis, a member of the Navy ROTC, excelled last semester as the Third Bat- talion CO and returns this semester as the Band Company CO. His can -do spirit and desire to create a unified, disciplined team will yield outstanding re- sults. Another standout HT is senior Patrick Leary. Recently awarded the American Scholarship of Na- Highty -Tighties participate in a Military Appreciation val Engineers, Patrick is a frequent tenor soloist in 4 Winter 2019 FROM THE COMMANDER Cadet Major Jacob C. Davis n many ways, this has not been a normal As the Band year for the Highty -Tighties. While our moves forward, I Ifootball schedule at first seemed intense, it have two primary was quickly altered by the myriad of weather goals for this or- events that Blacksburg experienced. Because of ganization. The this, we had the opportunity to spend more time first is to improve working on drills and perfecting our shows. Cadet the Band’s overall Huemme, with Cadet Truebert, led the band to suc- GPA through a va- cess at all performances. Some of the highlights riety of methods, to compete with line companies. from the semester included the annual Roanoke My second goal is to increase discipline and per- Veteran’s Day Parade, women’s basketball pep formance standards for the Highty - Tighties. We, gigs, and playing with the HT Alumni Band during as a band, are losing some of the precision and dis- Homecoming weekend. It is always a privilege to cipline that helps carry our proud name across the swap stories with Alumni and hear some great tales country. My staff and I intend to stop that and from years ago. bring the Band to its full glory and beyond. Some of you might be concerned that I did not list music In the Fall semester, the Band earned a 3.08 – grade point average cumulatively. While a little in my top two priorities do not fear. I am confi- lower than previous semesters, it is still higher than dent that mastering our grades and our composure the Band traditionally performs. Given our busy will lead directly to better musicians and in turn, a schedule in the Fall semester, it is a major chal- more perfect Band. Cadet Treubert and Senior lenge to get a GPA above a 3.0. That, paired with Chief Bean work diligently at training us to march precisely and play beautiful. I am providing the the teamwork shown throughout the tough march- ing season, makes me very proud to have taken backbone for this. over as the Band Commander. Thank you all for your continued support and your faithful allegiance to this wonderful organiza- I have spent the last two semesters working on - Third Battalion Staff as the Sergeant Major and the tion.