Virginia Military Institute Newsletter, Volume XLIII, Number IV, December 2014
‘Teaching is Just the Best Way of Learning’ Math Professor Guides Cadet to International Publication
By Mary Price
The winner of the 2014 Jackson-Hope Prize for Excellence in Stanford, a civil engineering major and applied math minor, didn’t Published Scholarly Work is only in his fourth year teaching at VMI blanch at working outside of his field – and neither did Chalishajar, who – but he’s already guided one cadet to publishing his research in an at the time was new to the field of mathematical biology. international journal. “Teaching is just the best way of learning,” said Chalishajar of their Lt. Col. Dimplekumar Chalishajar, associate professor of applied collaboration. “I was not teaching my cadet. I was just learning new things mathematics, worked alongside Cadet Andrew Stanford ’16 to create a with him.” mathematical model of a diabetic’s response to insulin treatment. Their co- Stanford, meanwhile, was more than open to learning new things. He authored work, “Mathematical Analysis of Insulin-Glucose Feedback System and Chalishajar had discussed an engineering problem for an independent of Diabetes,” was published in the International Journal of Engineering study, but Stanford hadn’t yet had all of the necessary civil engineering and Applied Sciences in July 2014. coursework to complete such a project. He had, though, taken a college- At the time the two began working together, in the fall of 2013, Stanford level biology course in high school, since his alma mater, Gar-Field was only a 3rd Class cadet, but he’d impressed Chalishajar so much during Senior High School in Prince William County, Va., offered an International his 4th Class year that Chalishajar sought him out and asked if he’d like Baccalaureate curriculum. to do independent research. Please see page 10 Corps Thanksgiving Dinner
Cadets select their desserts at the Corps Thanksgiving dinner Nov. 17 in Crozet Hall. – VMI Photo by Kevin Remington. VMI INSTITUTE REPORT
Heading for McKethan Army ROTC cadets board Virginia National Guard UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters on the Parade Ground Nov. 8. The helicopters transported the cadets to McKethan Park, giving cadets and pilots valuable training in air assault maneuvers. – VMI Photo by John Robertson IV.
For the Ring
Rat Olympics Cadets compete in the pugil stick event during Rat Olympics Nov. 11. Company F won the overall event, while Band Company was voted to receive the Stockwell Cup as the company best exhibiting the mentoring, coaching, and teamwork the event is meant to teach. — VMI Photo by H. Lockwood McLaughlin. Institute Report Office of Communications and Marketing Col. Stewart MacInnis – Director Stewart Wilkinson, VMI Foundation assistant director of Maj. Sherri Tombarge – Editor annual and reunion giving, presents a check for $40,000 to Burton Floyd – Publications Coordinator Contributors: Scott Belliveau, Kevin Remington, John Robertson IV, Kelly Nye, Scott Beasley, president of the Class of 2016, on Nov. 13. Mary Price, H. Lockwood McLaughlin, Daniel Stinnett ’07 and Chris Floyd. Annually given under the auspices of the Barracks Program, this gift represents the $100 that each Brother Rat of the Class Printing – McClung Printing,Waynesboro, Va. Eight issues are printed during of 2016 received to support the purchase of his or her class the academic year. Inquiries, suggestions, news items, or address changes should be directed to: Editor, The Institute Report, VMI Communications ring. The Class of 2016 received their class rings on Nov. and Marketing, Lexington, Virginia 24450-0304, Telephone 540-464-7207, 21. – Photo courtesy of the VMI Foundation. Fax 540-464-7443
PAGE 2, DECEMBER 2014 VMI INSTITUTE REPORT ‘Uncommon Purpose’ Campaign Off to Good Start
By Scott Belliveau ’83, VMI Foundation
The recently announced campaign to raise that the rest of the VMI family shares this initial funds for the Institute is off to a fast start, with enthusiasm.” enthusiasm evident among many members of For example, on their Facebook pages, the the VMI community. Donald M. Wilkinson ’61, Institute and the VMI Alumni Association posted campaign chairman, told those gathered Nov. 11 announcements that included a link to the video. for the Institute Society dinner that the campaign’s In a little more than 24 hours, almost 8,000 progress as of Founders Day was $183 million in people had seen the posts and watched the video, gifts and commitments. The funds were raised and hundreds of those alumni and friends shared during the campaign’s three-year “quiet phase.” the post with friends. Wilkinson’s remarks on the campaign, An Un- “Many years of careful planning and hard work common Purpose: A Glorious Past, A Brilliant by dozens of people on and off post, including Future: The Campaign for VMI, were followed Campaign chairman Donald Wilkinson the Institute’s senior leadership, volunteers like by a 13-minute video that provided an overview shakes Gen. Peay’s hand during the Mr. Wilkinson, and the staffs of the VMI alumni of the many reasons behind the campaign as well campaign launch. – VMI Photo by H. agencies – as well as the generosity of thousands as its overall goal – $225 million in gifts and Lockwood McLaughlin. of donors – have given this effort an undeniably commitments. The video, featuring testimonials of cadets and alumni, strong start,” said Crockett. “However, this event marks, to use a phrase was warmly received by the audience. from Winston Churchill, ‘the end of the beginning.’ The campaign “The reaction of this audience, which consisted of more than 600 of leadership set a deliberately ambitious goal for this effort, and, to meet the Institute’s most dedicated supporters, was quite enthusiastic,” said it, everyone associated with the campaign will be engaging every member Brian Scott Crockett, who, as CEO of the VMI Foundation, is respon- of the VMI family – and reaching out to expand the VMI family.” sible for campaign’s daily operations. “They left post excited about An For more information about the goals and the progress of the Uncommon Purpose and determined to see that it meets its goal – and campaign, visit www.vmi.edu/campaign. The campaign video may be exceeds it. In the days immediately following this event, it became clear viewed at www.vmi.edu/campaignvideo. Institute Society Dinner a Success
By Scott Belliveau ’83, VMI Foundation
Six hundred alumni and friends of the for two-thirds of the Foundation Fund’s Institute attended the annual Institute total receipts – and $12.6 million to other Society Dinner in Marshall Hall on the funds that support the Institute and the evening of Founders Day, Nov. 11 Corps of Cadets. He also recognized the This event primarily recognizes the Class of 1963 and the Class of 1987 for members of The Institute Society, those the successes of their reunion campaigns. men and women who are leaders in the VMI’s superintendent, retired U.S. effort to provide private financial support Army Gen. J. H. Binford Peay III ’62, to VMI. They become members of the also addressed the guests, thanking society by making a minimum annual them for their support of VMI in the gift of $1,500 to the Foundation Fund or previous fiscal year. He then screened by donating at least $3,000 annually to a a video produced by the VMI’s Office of restricted fund or endowment managed Communications and Marketing, which by the VMI Foundation during a fiscal presented an overview of the current state Gen. Peay addresses Institute Society members during year. of the Institute. their dinner on Founders Day. – VMI Photo by H. Lockwood “Since The Institute Society was As is custom, the superintendent’s McLaughlin. established in the mid-1970s,” said remarks were followed by a spirited Brian S. Crockett, the VMI Foundation’s CEO, “its members – alumni performance from the VMI Glee Club, which the guests received and friends – have been those who realize that, in order for it to meet enthusiastically. The evening closed with the singing of “The VMI Spirit” critical needs, such as enhanced scholarship support of cadets, VMI and “The VMI Doxology,” led by the Glee Club. must have an increasing amount of unrestricted money.” “As always, the Institute Society Dinner was a success,” said Crockett. After Crockett welcomed the evening’s guests, the colors were posted “We were able to thank these donors on behalf of VMI as well as provide and the VMI Herald Trumpets played the national anthem, after which them an opportunity to hear directly from the superintendent about the Institute chaplain Col. James Park provided the invocation. After important role their generosity has at VMI. Also, because the event was dinner, VMI Foundation President Walton M. Jeffress Jr. ’68 thanked supported by 85 members of the Class of 2016 and 17 of the Class of the Institute Society’s members for their generosity to VMI in fiscal year 2015, our guests were able to see firsthand the powerful impact that 2013, specifically, $1.8 million to the Foundation Fund – accounting they have on the education, and, therefore, the lives of our cadets.”
DECEMBER 2014, PAGE 3 DECEMBER 2014, PAGE 3 VMI INSTITUTE REPORT
Cadet Project to Build a Supercomputer a ‘Humbling’ Experience
By Mary Price
Come January, two VMI cadets single machine acting as will take a plane ride to San Antonio, the “brain” that tells the Texas – and give a presentation at a others what to do. Once national conference about how they the master machine has built the Department of Applied been given an assignment, Mathematics’ first supercomputer Poffenbarger explained, almost entirely out of recycled it allocates the task into parts. smaller chunks and assigns Traveling to the 2015 Joint each to a computer. Mathematics Meetings will be “These guys are just the Ryan Poffenbarger ’16, an applied workhorses,” said Poffen- math major, and Chris Siebert ’16, barger, gesturing to the who’s majoring in mechanical eight machines that receive engineering. Together, the two their instructions from the cadets arrayed nine desktop PCs master. “The workers fin- to act as a single, high-powered ish the problem and send machine, capable of solving Ryan Poffenbarger (seated) and Chris Siebert work at the supercomputer it back to the master to complex mathematical problems. they built. – VMI Photo by John Robertson IV. consolidate the information Eleven more machines are to be added in the future, as soon as the and spit out your answer.” wiring is upgraded in the room where the supercomputer is stored. Both Siebert and Poffenbarger said that supercomputers are typically Work on the supercomputer began in the fall of 2013 and was initially used for complex problems with many variables. funded by a National Science Foundation grant that has since expired. “It’s supposed to do very repetitive tasks, large iterations,” said Siebert. Funding for the wiring upgrade will come out of the applied mathematics “The go-to example for scientific computing is predicting the weather,” department’s budget. explained Poffenbarger. “Your weather prediction is null if you can’t get “It’s cadet built and it’s going to be cadet maintained,” Maj. Randy it out there before what you predict is going to happen.” Cone said of the supercomputer, which he’s nicknamed “Rat.” Poffenbarger explained that getting an application to run on a Cone, who is assistant professor of applied mathematics, got the supercomputer often involves changing the code – the instructions project going when he noticed a large number of computers sitting in the for the computer to follow – so that operations occur simultaneously hall one day. The machines were about to be sold at a surplus auction, instead of one at a time. but thanks to Cone’s intervention, they were reassigned to the applied “When you have nine computers, it’s not as simple as just clicking math department and repurposed for the supercomputer project. on a program and saying, ‘I want this to run on nine computers,’” he “First, [Rat is] a resource for cadets to be able to learn about high- said. “You have to go very deep into the inherent nature of the code performance systems,” said Cone of the need for a supercomputer. that application was written in and you have to change things around.” “Second, they need to learn to use the power of the system to solve Despite the frustrations – or perhaps because of them – the cadets hard problems.” have experienced the satisfaction of seeing Rat go from a collection of Poffenbarger first got involved when he held an internship in the applied about-to-be discarded PCs to a working system. mathematics department last year that was funded by the NSF grant, while “This shows you can use commodity-grade hardware to achieve Siebert didn’t begin work on the supercomputer until the summer. useable results,” said Siebert. At that point, neither cadet had extensive programming experience, “It uses all of the same principles that would be used in a high-speed, nor had either ever worked with Linux, a free operating system preferred business-level supercomputer,” Poffenbarger added. “Its intent is to be by many advanced computer users. used as a learning lab for cadets … interested in scientific computing.” “There’s an enormous amount of open source community software Those cadets, it should be noted, won’t all be majoring in applied that we had to get used to,” noted Poffenbarger. He added, “It’s been a mathematics, or even computer and information sciences. very humbling experience, with lots of frustration.” “We’re not viewing this as strictly a mathematical machine,” said Cone. Persevering through that frustration, the cadets have come up “It’s more of a general use machine. … We’re thinking about this in with a machine that’s a model of efficiency. Rat operates with a inter-disciplinary terms.”
PAGE 4, DECEMBER 2014 VMI INSTITUTE REPORT VMI Finds Niche in Field Biology Programming
By Daniel Stinnett ’07
In an era when most biology departments are focusing on the molecular side of the discipline, the study of field biology – animals, plants, and ecosystems – is going strong at VMI. “[These courses] are critical for understanding biology that does not happen on a bench top in a lab,” said Lt. Col. Paul Moosman ’98, associate professor of biology. “Most biology is happening outside and you’ve got to get out there and see it firsthand if you are really going to appreciate it and become a biologist.” Moosman is providing this hands-on experience this semester for cadets in his mammalogy class through a series of field trips and on- post activities. In a recent visit to Sky Farm in Rockbridge County, cadets trapped small mammals, made observations about them, and recorded their findings to determine the species of the animal. There was even a surprising discovery. “We ended up catching a species called the hispid cotton rat, which is not supposed to be in Rockbridge County,” said Moosman, explaining that this species had not previously been documented this far north. “It demonstrates that you have to question some of the information you read in a book. … This is why we do small mammal surveys, so we can learn about these phenomena and changes in nature.” Moosman also planned to take cadets to another site in Rockbridge County, Devil’s Marbleyard in Arnolds Valley, where a rare species of bat is known to roost. “We’re going to go out and track this bat down, and they’ll learn about its biology firsthand out there. I’ll show them how to handle bats and how to take information from them,” Moosman explained. “We want to get [cadets] out and show them what it’s like to actually do science. … This is how fun it is; it’s why so many people like to be scientists.” Another important component of mammalogy field work, radio tracking animals for ongoing data collection, was simulated on post Patrick Beegle ’17 weighs a chipmunk caught in a live trap at Sky toward the end of the class. The students actually tracked one another Farm. – Photo courtesy of Lt. Col. Paul Moosman. to practice using the radio telemetry gear used to track animals. “The biology department was very heavily field oriented [in the 70s The cadets also visited the Virginia Museum of Natural History in and 80s]; … [then] the field biology component went away and we Martinsville to see the behind-the-scenes scientific mission of the museum. became the ‘pre-med department,’” Rowe said. “Cadets who wanted These experiences prepare cadets for careers in field biology, such to go to medical school – we were serving them well.” as with government agencies at the state and federal level, and in But Rowe saw a need to re-emphasize the field biology curriculum. environmental consulting for industry and teaching. While department head from 1997 to 2009, Rowe hired several “What is going to dictate whether we do well as a nation is related professors to meet this need, and current department head Col. James to the health of our ecosystems,” said Moosman. “All of our natural Turner ’65 has continued the initiative. resources come from it; all of our agricultural systems are dependent “We looked at a number of students in our major, and we weren’t on it, so if that stops working, we’re in trouble. … [But] there are really giving them the background they desired, so we tried to build it,” not a lot of people trained in natural resources.” explained Rowe. “Cadets wanted courses in which they could go out In contrast to larger schools, VMI’s biology department has no in the field – many of them hunted, they liked the outdoors. … We shortage of faculty members whose area of expertise falls under the started to slowly build the program. We were able to hire some more scope of field biology. In addition to Moosman’s mammalogy course, faculty, and all of a sudden we had a nucleus of field biologists – and classes offered include ornithology – the study of birds – and herpetology their courses are very popular.” – the study of reptiles – in addition to aquatic ecosystems, conservation “We’re looking ahead, saying [field biology] is important, something biology, parasitology, and invertebrate biology. that most of the big universities have gone away from,” added Moosman, When Col. Dick Rowe came to VMI in 1991, he noticed a definite “and it’s really the small colleges like VMI that are doing the important trend in the biology curriculum. work of training biologists to be organismal field biologists.”
DECEMBER 2014, PAGE 5 VMI INSTITUTE REPORT Founders Looked Forward With Confidence VMI Celebrates Their Success on 175th Founders Day
By Mary Price
On a mild and sun-filled day, Virginia Military Institute celebrated the 175th anniversary of its founding Nov. 11, with events that included the placement of a time capsule, a convocation speech by Gov. Terry McAuliffe, and a parade by the Corps of Cadets. Celebrated each year since the Institute’s beginning, Founders Day marks the anniversary of a snowy Monday – Nov. 11, 1839 – when the first cadets arrived to relieve the guard at what had been a state arsenal. This year’s events included a ceremony in LeJeune Hall, during which members of the Corps of Cadets placed items into a time capsule, which will be displayed in the VMI Museum until it is opened 50 years from now, in 2064. Among the 22 items are some reflective of cadet life today, including a 1st Class private belt buckle, the original VMI buckle in use since the First Class President Will Connerley presents a gift to Gov. Terry 19th century; a class dyke belt buckle, which is worn by 4th Class cadets, McAuliffe following his talk. – VMI Photo by Kevin Remington. 3rd Class cadets, and 2nd Class privates; and a Rat Bible. exercises; and a room inspection checklist, or “bone sheet,” familiar Other notable items include a football from VMI’s first Southern to generations of VMI alumni. Conference win, over Furman University in 1931; a map of the George Speaking at an afternoon convocation in Cameron Hall, McAuliffe Washington National Forest, the location of the 4th Class field training Please see page 16
Chris Davis ’16, 1st Battalion public relations sergeant, places two sets of cadet rank insignia into the time capsule. – VMI Photo by Kevin Remington.
PAGE 6, DECEMBER 2014 VMI INSTITUTE REPORT Timber Framing Project Supports Holiday Fundraiser
By Daniel Stinnett ’07
During Fall FTX Oct. 3-5, a group Though the basic plans for the of cadets completed a timber buildings are usually from outside framing project that not only sources, cadets make adjustments sharpened their engineering skills, to the design and figure out all the but also allowed them to serve the joinery. The most valuable part local community and gave them a of the experience comes once head start on spreading holiday the construction process begins, cheer. however. Under the direction of Col. Grigg “When you teach engineering Mullen Jr. ’76, professor of civil students and you draw up the engineering, about 10 cadets joined plans, somehow they have to 20-25 civilians to cut and raise a become reality, and that never frame for a 10- by 16-foot shed. The quite goes the way you plan. … shed was auctioned off to benefit In the transition from a design Project Horizon at the group’s on paper to a completed project, annual Deck the Halls event Nov. 22. there are quality control issues and Project Horizon is an organization Cadets work with others in the Timber Framers Guild to build the communication issues,” Mullen that assists victims of domestic shed auctioned to benefit Project Horizon. – Photo courtesy of Maj. explained. abuse in Rockbridge County. Accacia Mullen. “In addition to the construction “Col. Mullen and the cadets at VMI do something for us almost every process, they also get leadership experience, making sure everything year,” said Judy Casteele, executive director of Project Horizon. “It happens in an appropriate manner. When it comes to assembly, we’re gives cadets an opportunity to do something with engineering as well lifting heavy pieces where somebody gets hurt if you do it wrong, and as help our organization. We are very excited about the continued so they learn appropriate safety procedures and how to safely control a partnership.” group of people engaged in heavy work.” Mullen said the partnership with Project Horizon goes back to 1999, “Every time we build a new frame, I learn something new,” said Cadet when cadets, along with Washington and Lee University students and Christopher Gray ’15, who with Alex Palagyi ’15 serves as cadet in charge other timber framers, constructed what became Lisa’s House, the of timber framing. “Guidance from experts allows cadets and workshop organization’s domestic violence shelter. At the time, timber framing attendees to strengthen their skills in order to perform more efficiently was a novel concept to cadets, but since then the skills needed for such on the next frame we build.” projects have been passed down from year to year. Gray also acknowledged the opportunity the project gave cadets to “[Over Fall FTX] we had 12 civilian students who were paying through serve the local community. “It’s a true win-win situation. As a cadet, the Timber Framers Guild … to learn the basics of timber framing,” said the opportunities for community service during the school year are Mullen, “which means we’ve come full circle because when we did the small due to academic and military demands. This allows cadets to get first project, none of the cadets knew anything about timber framing, involved in the community as well as make themselves better, not only and we hired timber framing guild members as instructors. … Now in the timber framing aspect, but in forming the well-rounded citizen- we’re helping to teach novice timber framers.” soldier that VMI is training us to be.”
Class Creates Design for Future Timber Framing Project
By Mary Price
For the third year in a row, cadets in Col. Grigg Mullen Jr. ’76’s wood to Mitch Wapner, the market’s organizer, in December. It will be up to design class are designing a structure for use by the wider community. Wapner to either select one design from the nine proposals submitted, This year, the project is a 64- by 80-foot wooden shelter for the or pick and choose different elements from among the various designs Lexington Farmer’s Market, which is held each Wednesday morning to come up with the one that he feels will be most appropriate both from March through November in a large city-owned parking lot between aesthetically and architecturally. Washington and Nelson streets. “This one was my son’s idea,” said Mullen, crediting the inspiration The shelter will protect vendors and shoppers from inclement weather, for the farmer’s market shelter to Grigg Mullen III ’08, a lab assistant while eliminating the need for vendors to bring pop-up tents, which can in VMI’s physics department. He explained that the younger Mullen and blow away in a strong wind, explained Mullen. his wife, Maj. Acacia Mullen, a reference librarian at Preston Library, This fall, the 27 1st Class cadets enrolled in Civil Engineering 405 are are good friends with Wapner, and it was during a conversation with working in groups of three to come up with designs that they will present Please see page 10
DECEMBER 2014, PAGE 7 VMI INSTITUTE REPORT Adams Center Conference Explores Reagan’s Legacy
By Mary Price
A two-day conference last month Reagan and Lebanon, 1981-1984.” In on the foreign policy legacy of former his remarks, Brower argued that then- President Ronald Reagan was the most President Reagan’s missteps in Lebanon visible achievement so far of the John in the early 1980s were the direct result A. Adams ’71 Center for Military History of Reagan’s viewing a regional conflict and Strategic Analysis. through a Cold War lens. The conference, which was also Brower’s colleague, Col. Jim Hentz, sponsored by the VMI Center for department head, spoke on “United Leadership and Ethics, was titled, States Southern Africa Policy Under “The Enduring Legacy: Leadership Reagan: The Specter of Colonialism.” and National Security Affairs During Hentz, an expert on sub-Saharan the Ronald Reagan Era.” The Nov. 3-4 Africa, began by pointing out that the event brought 230 outside scholars to Reagan administration’s approach of post, and involved nearly 40 percent of “constructive engagement” with Africa the Corps of Cadets. was anything but constructive. “The Reagan period is so important,” Anxious to stop the spread of said Lt. Col. Brad Coleman ’95, associate communism, Reagan treated Africa professor of history and director of the as its colonial handlers had done, Adams Center. He noted that the focus Hentz argued, with a paternalistic of the Adams Center, which was founded approach, and was fearful of its socialist at VMI in 2002, is on “how the Cold War governments. shapes the challenges and opportunities Brig. Gen. Charles F. Brower IV takes part in a panel, “U.S. foreign policy over time we face today.” “Reagan and the World: The Middle East and Africa.” – conflated communism with the Soviet VMI Photo by Kevin Remington. As the conference neared its close, Union, and one of the themes of this Coleman remarked that the gathering had attracted a “great turnout.” talk is, ‘They’re not the same thing,’” said Hentz. He added, “It’s the right mix of scholars, national security professionals, Outside speakers at the two-day conference included Stavridis, who and cadets.” served as NATO’s 16th commander from 2009 to 2013, and Jack F. Two of those cadets – Salena Chiep ’16 and Austin Bajc ’17, cadet Matlock Jr., who served as U.S. ambassador to the Soviet Union during assistants at the Adams Center – had front-row seats for the conference the 1980s. and were heavily involved in the preparations leading up to it. Stavridis told conference participants that building bridges, not walls, Chiep, an international studies major, drew up a time line of major would be key to solving the security challenges of the 21st century. international events during Reagan’s presidency for inclusion in the “The challenges are immense if we look at them as a thicket out conference program, and she escorted the keynote speaker, retired there,” said Stavridis in a question-and-answer period after his remarks. Navy Adm. James Stavridis, during his time on post. “But no one of us is as smart as all of us thinking together.” “All of the speeches have been great,” said Chiep on the second day It was Reagan’s willingness to talk to the people in power as people, of the conference, “but the best part of this entire conference has been and to find common ground for partnership, that opened the way to the opportunity to meet so many different people. The networking success, Matlock explained. “Negotiations backed by strength brought opportunities we’ve had have been incredible.” the Cold War to an end, not military and economic pressure alone,” She continued, “The Reagan administration had a great effect on the former ambassador noted. politics today. It’s been great learning how Cold War history connects Coleman’s future plans for the Adams Center include a possible to history today.” 2015 conference on applied history, which is how policy makers use Bajc, a history major, handled permits for the Corps of Cadets, so the lessons from the past to design and implement national security cadets could miss classes to attend the conference proceedings, and he policy today. Such a gathering might be held in the Washington, D.C., also filled in with day-to-day tasks as assigned by Coleman. area, although Coleman stressed that plans are very incomplete at Bajc said that he’d most enjoyed “looking at the Reagan administration this point. and drawing conclusions for today.” In 2017, Coleman would like to hold a conference commemorating Among the many scholars giving presentations at the conference the 50th anniversary of the Marshall Plan speech, which General of were two VMI professors, both faculty members in the Department of the Army George C. Marshall, VMI Class of 1901, delivered at Harvard International Studies and Political Science. University in June 1947. Such a conference might be held in partnership Brig. Gen. Charles F. Brower IV, who served as Army aide to Reagan with the George C. Marshall Foundation, which is headquartered at from 1982 to 1984, gave a talk titled, “Stranger in a Dangerous Land: VMI, Coleman noted.
PAGE 8, DECEMBER 2014 VMI INSTITUTE REPORT Alumni Panel Launches New Entrepreneurship Club
By Chris Floyd
VMI’s mission statement the Entrepreneurship Club kicked encourages cadets to become off with that panel discussion that “advocates of the American featured three VMI alumni talking democracy and free enterprise about their experiences in the system.” Richard “Ricky” Siewers business world. ’15 took that to heart this summer. The panel included Robert After returning from a summer Louthan ’82, who has more than internship with alumnus Mike 30 years of business experience Lloyd ’07, the 1st Class cadet and is the founder and chief went to work to begin the executive officer of VeteranCrowd. Entrepreneurship Club. He helped Richard Luck ’12 taught in inner- launch the club with a panel city high schools before starting discussion in early November, UnBoundRVA, a company designed followed by a membership meeting to help out entrepreneurs without a few nights later. resources, and James Goodwillie Alumni panelists present to cadets who filled a classroom in Scott “I’ve been waiting for 15 years ’12 is the founder of BlueBaggs, a Shipp Hall. – VMI Photo by Kevin Remington. for something like this to happen, social network shopping aid. and he made it happen,” said Col. Atin Basuchoudhary, a professor in “Richard and James were two of my dykes,” Siewers explained. “I the economics and business department. “I’m really excited.” just reached out to them over the summer, and we brainstormed what Siewers was just as excited when he got together with a group of we should do. I came up with the idea [of the panel discussion] as the interns during the summer. When he heard of all the stimulating activities marketing event for the club, to raise awareness.” they participated in on their campuses, he decided to bring the ideas In that respect, the effort seems to have been successful. The night back to VMI. of the panel discussion the room at Scott Shipp Hall was packed, and “They had all of these entrepreneur clubs, had the chance to start about 50 cadets showed up for the membership meeting later that week. businesses while they were in school,” said Siewers. “I thought, ‘Why “I had a lot of cadets come up to me and say how [the panel couldn’t VMI have something like that?’” discussion] inspired them,” said Siewers. “They thought it was a great He talked to Basuchoudhary and Col. Robert W. “Bob” Moreschi, head event.” of the economics and business department, about his idea. They gave After the initial membership is trimmed down to between 20-25 cadets, him the go-ahead, and after jumping through all of the necessary hoops, the club will begin working on its agenda. Please see page 13
Post Briefs f
Men’s Rugby Wins Championship Controllability of Nonlinear Systems – Analytical and Numerical The VMI men’s rugby club team had a tremendously successful Estimations.” Dimple Chalishajar also had the opportunity at season, winning the Cardinals Collegiate Conference championship the conference, the International Congress of Mathematicians, to tournament in dominating fashion at the University of Richmond Nov. collaborate with colleagues from Spain and India on a joint paper 8-9. The tournament included 16 Division II and III rugby clubs to be published in a peer-reviewed journal. from Virginia colleges, as well as Duke University. Following the tournament, VMI faced off against Towson University in Maryland for Lacrosse Players Run for Rangers a spot in the Sweet 16, the Division II rugby finals, but fell short, with Members of the VMI NCAA lacrosse team headed to New York City Towson winning 34-23. Nov. 16 for the seventh annual Run Down Hero Highway, a 4.5-mile fun run/walk in honor of Sgt. James J. Regan and in support of the 75th Professors Attend International Congress of Mathematicians Ranger Battalion. Led by assistant coach Michael Grimm, a former staff Lt. Col. Dimplekumar Chalishajar, associate professor of applied sergeant in the 1st Ranger Battalion, the participating cadets were Joe mathematics, and Dr. Heena Chalishajar, instructor of applied Amato ’16, Brad Biondello ’15, Mike DeBlasio ’15, Nick Dodd ’17, mathematics, traveled to Seoul, South Korea, last summer to Andrew Erber ’15, Ian Marinacci ’16, and Chris Spada ’17. share their research with colleagues in a presentation, “Trajectory
DECEMBER 2014, PAGE 9 VMI INSTITUTE REPORT ‘Teaching is Just the Best Way of Learning’
Continued from page 1
Neither Stanford nor Chalishajar possibility down the road. understood how diabetes affects “[The independent study] the various organs in the body, opened my eyes to what are the though, so the two received kinds of possibilities I can have welcome assistance from Col. Jim in my life – graduate school … Turner Sr. ’65, head of the biology at least a master’s,” said Stanford. department at VMI. “It’s something I want to pursue “Interactions and collaborations now, because now I know I can always give you a better idea,” do this.” noted Chalishajar. With his and Stanford’s work now Stanford explained that having published, Chalishajar has moved a biologist’s input was crucial on to helping two other cadets with to avoid producing a paper that independent study projects. He had flawless math but a faulty and David Geary ’16, an applied understanding of the human body. math major, are working to create “One of the chronic flaws with Lt. Col. Dimplekumar Chalishajar and Andrew Stanford ’16 review a mathematical model showing mathematicians and engineers as the article they published together. – VMI Photo by H. Lockwood when an individual’s body crosses a whole is you can have a great McLaughlin. the line from being healthy to being process and great calculations, but diabetic. if you assumed wrong, it means nothing,” said Stanford. In addition, Chalishajar is helping Michael Hutwelker ’17, a In addition, Maj. Geoff Cox, assistant professor of applied mathematics, mechanical engineering major, with an independent study having to do provided help with coding in Matlab, a computer program frequently with bending a beam. used by mathematicians. In devoting so much time to cadets completing independent study “He just blew us out of the water,” said Stanford of Cox’s contribution. projects, Chalishajar is following the advice given to him by a professor in “I tried to do what he did and I couldn’t even get close.” his native India, when he was finishing work on his own doctorate years ago. With the paper now published, Stanford is looking to the future – “Once you are done with your Ph.D., never stop,” Chalishajar recalled and pondering his options. He’s contractually obligated both to the his adviser as saying. “Just continue on with your work. Try to give your Army National Guard and the Virginia Department of Transportation’s knowledge to some of the students. … You can share your knowledge Engineering Scholar Program, but graduate school seems a likely with students only if you are active in the field.” Timber Framing Project Continued from page 7
him that the idea for a farmer’s market shelter was born. “The idea is to put up something that covers that area but still allows traffic through it and preserves the parking spaces,” the older Mullen noted. Once a median with trees in it is removed, the city will gain two parking spaces as a result of the project, he added. In years past, cadets enrolled in the wood design course in the fall have been able to build their creation during Spring FTX. That was the case in the spring of 2013, when the project was a picnic shelter to be used by families occupying several Habitat for Humanity houses along Greenhouse Road, and in the spring of 2014, when the project was a sun shelter for the Lexington City Pool. This time, though, the project won’t move from the drawing board to the ground until at least the spring of 2016. Mullen explained that the city wants to repave the parking lot first, and there are planning and zoning issues to be dealt with as well. A preliminary proposal to Lexington City Council in early September went well, though. “Everyone was very receptive,” said Mullen. It’s just Col. Grigg Mullen ’76 works in the lab with cadets in his wood a timing issue.” design class. – VMI Photo by H. Lockwood McLaughlin.
PAGE 10, DECEMBER 2014 VMI INSTITUTE REPORT ‘The Power of Engineering’ Solar Shower, Eco-Latrine Designs Propel Cadets to the Top
By Mary Price
A team of cadets majoring in their project’s success. civil engineering at VMI made The idea for the project began history at the end of September over winter furlough last year when when they traveled to New Orleans, Brickles went for a job interview La., to compete in an international with an engineering firm that is one engineering competition – and of the sponsors of the Virginia Water emerged as the highest-placed Environment Association’s statewide U.S. team. student competition each May. An The cadets entered the Water employee at that firm recommended Environment Federation Technical that Brickles enter that competition, Exhibition and Conference student and when Brickles returned to VMI, design competition with high Moore suggested that he design a hopes. The design they’d developed toilet and shower combination for for an eco-latrine/solar shower use in Bolivia. combination had not only won first At that point, Brickles assembled place at the statewide competition Cadets (from left) Andrew Rotermund, Warner Thomas, Tyler a team, and the group set to work. in Richmond, Va., in May, but it Brickles, Peter Buehlmann, and Damian Arnaiz show off a small “The first thing we did was look at had also been implemented in the section of the “pipe-in bottle” solar shower heater which is mounted Google Earth,” said Buehlmann. small mountain village of Pampoyo, on top of the eco-latrines they designed and built in Bolivia . – Photo “What’s there that we can use?” Bolivia, over the summer. courtesy of Tyler Brickles. Because of the lack of electricity, At WEFTEC, though, the the cadets had to find another way competition was stiff. Arriving in New Orleans, the cadets found to heat water for bathing. Soda bottles became the most obvious choice, themselves the only undergraduates in attendance and competing against since the Pampoyo villagers are avid consumers of soda. By February, an alumnus, Peerawat Charuwat ’13, who’s now enrolled in graduate Akiyama had gotten the word out to the villagers that they needed to save school at Virginia Tech. their soda bottles for the coming summer project. In the end, though, the 1st Class cadets – Damian Arnaiz, Tyler All of the cadets praised Akiyama, who’s been working with Moore Brickles, Peter Buehlmann, Andrew Rotermund, and Warner Thomas in Bolivia for the past four years and made himself available via Skype – found that their design had been so favored by the judges that they’d as they were finalizing their design last spring. placed not only higher than any other American team, but higher than “He was able to give us a lot of insight into what it actually looked like any team from Virginia had ever placed in this competition. down there, which was very helpful,” noted Buehlmann. They’d also set a record as the highest placed VMI team so far; a The cadets were likewise grateful that one of the group’s members, team from the Institute that included Charuwat had placed fourth at Arnaiz, had been to Bolivia with Moore already, in the summer of 2013, WEFTEC in 2012. and thus had firsthand experience with that South American nation. “It’s a huge, huge feat for a small undergraduate college that’s not based “He knew the whole layout before we ever started working on it,” on research,” noted Lt. Col. Tim Moore II ’97, associate professor of civil said Rotermund. and environmental engineering who accompanied the cadets to WEFTEC. And while all of the cadets were pleased to place so highly at WEFTEC, “Ours was the only [project] that was entirely sustainable,” noted those who’d been to Bolivia agreed that seeing the villagers’ delight in Brickles when asked what gave the VMI team an edge. The toilets, he the flow of water through a shower was just as meaningful as winning explained, are designed to safely compost human waste into fertilizer, an award, if not more so. Brickles recalled a family that came to see the and the showers use water heated in two-liter soda bottles on the roof, VMI group off at the bus station – and to tell them that they’d just had since Pampoyo has no electricity. the first showers of their lives. It was also the only project that had actually been put into practice in the Overall, Moore and the cadets all noted, the Bolivia project is about real world. “We did it before they even judged us on it,” added Thomas. changing lives, one toilet and one shower at a time. Last summer Brickles, Buehlmann, and Thomas had been part of “We’re doing this for the people of Pampoyo,” said Moore. “We’re a group, Keydets Without Borders, that built eco-latrine/solar shower not doing this for the recognition. We’re doing this because we believe combinations for villagers who’d previously had no toilets, and no access in the power of engineering to eliminate preventable illness.” to heated water for bathing. Moore noted that since Keydets Without Borders began work in Bolivia, Buehlmann noted that their design is truly universal. “We designed infant mortality in Pampoyo has dropped by almost 55 percent, mostly it so it can be almost copy-pasted in different regions of the world,” he thanks to a clean water supply. said, adding that the only real requirements for implementation are a “That’s what been so amazing about this project,” said Rotermund. stable water source and sunlight. “Win or lose at the competitions, this design is making a difference in All of the cadets agreed that starting early, and including a Bolivian people’s lives and people are actually using it. That thought is so cool, engineer, Afnan Akiyama, in their planning were the key ingredients to to know that you had something to do with it.”
DECEMBER 2014, PAGE 11 VMI INSTITUTE REPORT Baseball, Women’s Soccer Coaches Depart
By Chris Floyd
One coaching search is over for VMI, while James “Trey” Chapman ’17 provided the heroics in the victory against another continues. the Citadel, forcing a turnover late in the second half and then hitting The athletic department entered November a three-pointer in the waning seconds to put the Keydets ahead to stay. needing to replace two coaches – Marlin Quentin “QJ” Peterson ’17 led VMI with 25 points, while Brian Brown Ikenberry ’95, who left the baseball team ’15 chipped in with 16. to pursue an opportunity in the private Julian Eleby ’17 paced the Keydets with 20 points in the loss to Army, sector, and Bryan Williams, who has led the while Peterson poured in 19. Phillip Anglade ’16 chipped in with 13 points. women’s soccer team for the past 10 years. The baseball position was filled when the VMI Jonathan Hadra ’04 athletic department tapped longtime assistant Heather Magill ’15 was named the Coastal Collegiate Swimming Jonathan Hadra ’04 to take over in the dugout, but the search for a new Association Diver of the Week after winning the 1-meter diving women’s soccer coach is ongoing. competition in a tri-meet against Howard University and Loyola (Md.) Hadra, who started his coaching career at VMI and also had stints at University Nov. 8 in Baltimore, Md. The Keydets split the two matches, Bradley University and Western Kentucky University, spent the last five defeating Howard but falling to Loyola. years on the Keydet bench, four as the team’s recruiting coordinator. Records continued to fall during the meet, with two more VMI marks The 2010 SE Assistant Coach of the Year, Hadra was a four-year letter broken. McKenzie Raber ’18 set her third school record of the season, winner as a cadet and served as team captain during his 1st Class season. touching the wall second in the 1,650-meter freestyle with a time of He replaces Ikenberry, who leaves his alma mater after 11 seasons. 18 minutes, 52.67 seconds. The 200 freestyle relay team of Sophia Ikenberry stepped down as VMI’s all-time leader in coaching victories Delbondio ’18, Natalie Rivas ’18, Haley Scott ’18, and Gabriela Galvez with 282 after leading the Keydets to six winning seasons during his ’17 posted a time of 1:43.01 to set another VMI record and finish tenure, the most for any VMI baseball coach. His first came in 2006, second in the event. when the Keydets compiled a 36-25 mark to record their first winning On the men’s side, the Keydets posted four runner-up finishes in the season since 1965. The Keydets finished 25-23 in their last season under tri-meet to earn a split, slipping past Howard for their first victory of Ikenberry, who spent three years as an assistant for VMI and saw 16 of the season. his players drafted by Major League Baseball while he was at the helm. Both teams will be out of the pool until after the new year. The women As a player for the Keydets, Ikenberry spent four years as a catcher, return to action Jan. 23 against North Carolina A&T, while the men will helping lead VMI to the championship game of the 1993 Southern entertain three other teams in the Clark King pool Jan. 24. Conference tournament. VMI began its women’s soccer program in 2003, and Williams, a Washington and Lee University graduate, took over as head coach in 2005. He coached the Keydets to 47 victories during his 10 years on the The cross country team wrapped up its 2014 campaign with a sideline, and he is responsible for all but four of the program’s victories. third-place finish at the Southern Conference Championships Oct. 31 He was named the Big South Conference Coach of the Year in 2008, but in Kernersville, N.C., and a 17th-place effort in the Southeast Regional VMI has posted no more than three wins in a season since 2009. His meet in Louisville, Ky., Nov. 14. last squad, which completed its season this fall, posted a 3-15-1 overall Avery Martin ’16 was the top finisher for the Keydets at the conference record, 2-7 against Southern Conference foes. meet, placing 10th overall in 24:41.83 to earn second team all- conference honors. Tyler Richards earned a spot on the all-freshmen team. Furman swept the top nine places to cruise to the team title. In the regional meet, Sean Helmke ’16 was VMI’s top finisher, placing On the football field, quarterback Al Cobb ’18 passed for 321 yards 69th overall as the Keydets finished just two spots short of earning a in a 42-27 loss to Western Carolina University to set a new single season regional ranking. passing record for the Keydets. After the game against the Catamounts, The VMI women’s cross country team boasted five personal records Cobb had passed for 2,575 yards this season, with one game to play. and finished eighth at the Southern Conference meet. Hannah Dickinson The record-setting effort came a week after Cobb threw for two ’15 crossed the line in 28th place. touchdowns and ran for another to lead VMI to a 31-15 victory over Furman University, the first league win for the Keydets since rejoining the Southern Conference this season. The victory snapped a six-game losing skid for VMI and a string of 21 straight losses to the Paladins, Dalton Henderson ’17 earned Southern Conference Wrestler of dating back to 1979. the Week honors after posting a perfect 5-0 record and winning the 125-pound weight class in the Hokie Open’s freshman/sophomore division at Virginia Tech Nov. 9. Most recently, Henderson posted a The basketball team opened its season with a split of two games at the 4-1 mark to place second at North Carolina State’s Wolfpack Open. All Military Classic in West Point, N.Y., slipping past the Citadel 66-65 His lone loss was an overtime decision that snapped a seven-match to advance to the championship game for the third time in four years, winning streak. where the Keydets fell to host Army 92-86.
PAGE 12, DECEMBER 2014 VMI INSTITUTE REPORT New Director Finds Power, Discipline, and Dignity in VMI Glee Club
By Mary Price
The new director of the VMI Glee Club may be a 30-Second Fa, La, La.” In addition, this year, the women fresh face at VMI – but when it comes to choirs and in the club are performing a much more modern tune – conducting, he’s an old hand. “Let It Go” from the smash hit animated movie Frozen. Josh Harvey is a familiar name on the local music “They wanted to do it and I’m totally game,” scene, as the Lexington native has been playing the commented Harvey. “I think it’s hilarious.” piano and conducting church choirs in the area for After Christmas, the Glee Club will continue with many years. A graduate of neighboring Washington and one of its most enjoyable holiday traditions – a free Lee University, Harvey also holds a master’s degree in two-night stay at The Homestead, a resort in nearby musical direction of musical theater from the Royal Bath County, in exchange for an hour-long concert for Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow, hotel guests each evening. Scotland. Since arriving at VMI, Harvey has been adjusting to a A decades-long friendship with Col. John Brodie, new kind of singer – one whose lung power has been director of the VMI Regimental Band, brought Harvey fully developed by shouting commands to subordinates. to VMI this fall, and in the short time since his arrival, “Vocally, military sound is much more muscular, he’s kept up a busy fall schedule with the Glee Club, because they spend their days shouting and being a group that now consists of 20 to 30 singers, with a New director Maj. Josh shouted at, essentially,” said Harvey, who also serves fairly even split between men and women. Harvey conducts the Glee as accompanist for the choir at Washington and Lee. Maj. Harvey noted that the Glee Club is one of the oldest Club in practice for Spirit “They’re more fit, so in some ways they’re better clubs at VMI, with origins dating to at least the mid-1880s, Night. – VMI Photo by Kelly Nye. singers,” he continued. “They’re more bodily aware. when the first edition of the Bomb, the VMI yearbook, was published. They’re more aware of their sound, in a certain way.” Looking at posters in the Glee Club rehearsal room in Shell Hall, the And it didn’t take Harvey long to figure out that VMI cadets take their new director has learned that the Glee Club once boasted as many as 80 military bearing with them whenever they step onto a stage. members and the group has performed for at least one U.S. president, “This group never looks bad coming on stage,” said Harvey, whose Dwight D. Eisenhower. musical theater accomplishments include conducting a performance of “That would be the dream goal – to have 80 people again,” remarked The Who’s, Tommy, during his time in Scotland. Harvey. “There’re some really quick pluses – power, discipline, dignity that But while today’s Glee Club is smaller than its predecessors, talent you kind of have to teach other college students that you don’t have to does not seem to be in short supply. worry about here,” he explained. “A lot of these particular students come from … quality high school Brodie, who had been directing both the band and the Glee Club for choirs, and a couple of them have come from elite high school choirs,” years, explained that he simply needed a break from constant rehearsals. Harvey said. “I want to figure out a way to keep the program building.” “I loved the Glee Club cadets and I really enjoyed them, but I was never As of mid-November, with the holiday season rapidly approaching, home at night,” said Brodie of the decision to hire a separate Glee Club Harvey’s singers were busy preparing for one of VMI’s most beloved director. seasonal traditions, Carols in the Courtyard. “[Harvey] is a fantastic piano player and a fine musician,” Brodie This year, Harvey is planning a medley of sing-along holiday classics, continued. “I can’t think of a better choir director. He’s doing a great plus “In the Bleak Midwinter,” “Baby It’s Cold Outside,” and “The job, and I really hope he stays.” Entrepreneurship Club Continued from page 9
“We want to provide a place where we can teach kids the fundamentals “Economics is ultimately about entrepreneurship.” of entrepreneurship, how to start a business and what it takes,” said Siewers has contacted a number of alumni for a database he’s building Siewers, who is heavily involved in the Cadet Investment Group and a to be used as cadets begin developing ideas during club meetings. He member of Omicron Delta Epsilon. “It’s going to be a very alumni-, has plans for even more guest speakers to come to post, and plans are professor-oriented, cadet collaboration club where we’re using all of in the works for a trip to Washington, D.C., to attend 1776, a start-up the resources we have.” incubator developed by Matt Thompson ’02. “What he’s done with this club is to get a way to get our students Meanwhile, the club will search for a place where it can meet regularly to understand how business really works,” said Basuchoudhary, who to discuss ideas and develop business plans. noted that the club was partially funded by the Charles Koch Foundation. And fulfill that mission statement.
DECEMBER 2014, PAGE 13 VMI INSTITUTE REPORT S-6 Staff Works Hard When Club Boxing Holds Tournament on Post
By Chris Floyd
S-6 staff are at work as a cadet is declared the winner in one of the matches during the Nov. 17 boxing tournament. – VMI Photo by Kelly Nye.
The VMI boxing tournament returned to Cocke Hall Nov. 17 after a “This one is a little bit tougher,” said Concannon. year’s hiatus. A favorite event among members of the Corps of Cadets, “They [the S-6 staff] relieve a lot of stress off of the team, so the team it never would have gotten off the ground again if not for the efforts of can focus on performing versus having to set up and break down,” said the hard-working S-6 staff. Perry. “They are a very, very valuable piece of the whole thing,” said Maj. The S-6 staff must have done a great job with the boxing tournament, Christopher “Chris” Perry ’05, assistant commandant. then, as VMI pugilists won all five of the matches contested. Ian Horkan This year’s S-6 staff is led by Cadet Capt. Nattachat “Nina” Srikongyos ’18 won his bout by technical fall, while Shu-Hao Yang ’17, Alexander ’15. It is her responsibility to dole out assignments to her staff of 18, Falcetti ’15, Christopher Livingston ’15, and Liam Healy ’15 all scored which includes a number of sergeants who are in charge of event decisions in their three-round fights. operations. The boxing assignment fell to Jacob Concannon ’16, the The boxing tournament was just one of several events the group sergeant tasked with getting everything just perfect for the three-team hopes to bring to post this year. According to Perry, the S-6 staff has tournament. already overseen a jiu-jitsu match against Liberty University and hopes “Each of the sergeants gets one specific event,” explained Srikongyos. to bring a jiu-jitsu tournament to post later this year. The powerlifting “He creates an op-order, and in that op-order it will outline every single state championships were held at VMI, with the S-6 cadets in charge, detail and job.” and they are hoping to hold an Olympic lifting competition in December. The op-order for the boxing match contained a few more tasks than Perry also said that the staff wants to bring together a couple of events usual. Almost the entire staff was involved, charged with duties ranging solely for the cadets. from setting up a brand new ring, to dragging in portable bleachers to “They’re the ones who come up with the ideas,” said Perry. “They are bringing in the Men in Grey to sing the national anthem. Concannon interested in what the cadets want, how they can get the cadets involved.” noted that the event went off smoothly. The cadets who organize these events invest time and energy, but they That is because the group was extremely well prepared. Srikongyos get back an experience that will prove invaluable when they leave VMI. explained that the S-6 staff meets at least twice prior to each event. By “No matter what it is, you are dealing with people and delegating the time the day of the event rolls around, each staff member knows responsibility,” said Srikongyos, who started in S-6 as a corporal. exactly where he or she should be. “I had to give an op-order and present it to the entire staff and Maj. This time, though, in addition to the boxing match, the S-6 staff was Perry,” said Concannon. “I’m going to have experience giving briefings in charge of setting up and supporting a racquetball tournament held when guys from other colleges aren’t going to have that. This is definitely simultaneously. exposing me to some good leadership skills.”
PAGE 14, DECEMBER 2014 VMI INSTITUTE REPORT Air Force ROTC
Cadets Receive Assignments at Air Force Dining In
Information courtesy of Air Force ROTC
This year’s annual Air Force and officer, Manning has provided ROTC Dining In Nov. 13 was marked support to base operations, major by a new event. First Class cadets acquisition program development, received their assignments – more and Air Force officer accessions. than half their No. 1 choice – in The evening began with dinner an assignment drop. Each cadet and live piano music provided was called to the stage to throw a by cadets Daniel Warner, Mikael giant inflatable die into the air and Pineda, and Dakota Hendrix, as complete an assignment indicated well as humorous banter from the by the throw before seeing what president of the mess, Cadet Ian his or her Air Force Specialty Code Hogan, and the vice-president, would be. Cadet Dillon Blackburn-Jones. Maj. Michael Manning, chief The cadets then transitioned into of strategic engagements in the one of their favorite traditions: the Office of the Assistant Secretary “grog.” The tradition goes that if Capt. Chris Warren and cadets Daniel Warner and Zachary Turek of the Air Force Chief Program salute the grog before they must fill their glass and drink its contents. one member of the mess notices Analysis Branch, was the evening’s – Photo courtesy of Air Force ROTC. another breaking the rules of the speaker. He talked about how to mess, that one who broke the rules enable people under one’s command to succeed using the Air Force must drink from the grog. Core Values – integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we The annual dinner offers the cadets an opportunity to learn customs, do. He also warned the cadets not to make some of his own mistakes. courtesies, and formalities that may be required in their active duty Throughout his 22-year Air Force career, as both an enlisted member careers.
Naval ROTC
Cadets Attend Naval Academy Conference
Information courtesy of Naval ROTC
Four Naval ROTC cadets were selected to attend the fifth annual Naval in the field. Academy Science and Engineering Conference in Annapolis, Md., this Among these experts was Dr. Robin R. Murphy, who tied the work that fall. More than 100 students from schools all across the nation were the students would be doing to examples drawn from her experience in attendance to discuss this year’s topic, “Robotics: New Solutions for directing the Center for Robot-Assisted Search and Rescue. This a Changing World.” included robot-assisted rescue operations at 11 disasters, including Chosen to represent VMI were Zachary Harth ’15, Morgan Robinson the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and ’15, Cody Damewood ’16, and Jake Freiwald ’17. Hurricane Katrina. Over the course of the three-day conference, the students worked in The NASEC conference was an opportunity not only to explore small groups identifying and proposing solutions to some of the current current advances in robotics, but to interact with students from various problems facing robotics in the areas of remote sensing, automation, schools and backgrounds. The conference concluded with a discussion and human-robot interaction. The conference included presentations regarding the ethics of robotic development and use in both the military of current design projects and talks from some of the foremost experts and private sectors.
DECEMBER 2014, PAGE 15 VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE NON-PROFIT COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING OFFICE ORGANIZATION LEXINGTON, VA 24450-0304 U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 14 LEXINGTON, VA 24450-0304
Founders Looked Forward With Confidence Continued from page 6
urged the Corps of Cadets to think big and take chances as they move from the example of Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus, a Roman who was twice Virginia’s economy into the 21st century. called from his farm to serve his country in time of war, and George In urging the cadets to reach for their goals, McAuliffe noted that his Washington, who himself had emulated Cincinnatus. parents were too poor to send him to college, so he went to work sealing “Preston had Cincinnatus in mind when he defined VMI as something driveways at 14. Over the years, McAuliffe would find himself at the helm different from West Point,” said Shaffner. “The concept of the citizen-soldier of many business ventures – and not all were destined to succeed. was one that J.T.L. Preston adopted from his knowledge of early Roman “Never be afraid to fail,” the former chair of the Democratic National history when he attempted to define VMI as we know it today.” Committee counseled his cadet listeners. “Think big. Take chances.” Thanks to an economic downturn in the late 1830s, the success of In his remarks, delivered on Veterans Day – a holiday that was established the new school Preston founded was far from certain, noted Gen. J.H. well after VMI’s founding – McAuliffe also touched on veterans’ issues, Binford Peay III, VMI superintendent, in remarks delivered just before specifically the need to end homelessness among veterans and the need the governor spoke. for more health-care options for those who’ve served. The founders – Preston, Gen. Francis H. Smith, and French engineer Speaking to the cadets in the audience who are planning to commission Claudius Crozet – were not to be deterred, Peay observed. in the armed services, McAuliffe pledged, “Your commonwealth is going “But they persevered and they succeeded, and the Institute has moved on to have your back while you’re in the service.” through many other financial crises … to reach a new level of excellence To the great delight of many cadets in the audience, McAuliffe granted that even the forward-looking founders could never have imagined,” the amnesty from all penalty tours and confinements before leaving post. superintendent continued. Also speaking on Founders Day was Randolph Shaffner, author of the Just as McAuliffe would go on to tell the cadets, the founders of VMI had recently published book, The Father of VMI: A Biography of Col. J.T.L. thought big and taken chances. Preston, C.S.A. “All three men had one characteristic in common,” said Peay. “They Preston, a prominent 19th-century Lexington citizen, led an effort in looked into the future with confidence, not only for the new college which the 1830s to have a state arsenal staffed by bored and ill-behaved young they had helped organize, but also for the nation.” men transformed into a new kind of military school based on the Roman To read more and see a video on the day’s events, visit www.vmi.edu/ ideal of the citizen-soldier. FoundersDay2014. To see more photos, visit VMInews.tumblr.com and Shaffner explained that Preston’s vision for the new school drew heavily scroll down to Nov. 11, 2014.
PAGE 16, THE INSTITUTE REPORT, DECEMBER 2014