The V.M.L Cadet One of Americans Last Independent College Newspapers VOLUME LXXm Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia, March 18,1983 NUMBER 20 • Mi ' V 1984 Ratline Preparation Begins New Appointment ftobert W. Wentz, Jr., visitors of Old Dommion rats. He does not want anybody Corps" and if the need should business and civic leader in University. He remains on the by Tucker M. Maloney out there who will not uphold arise, he will "....exercise his Portsmouth (Va.) where he was board of Central Fidelity Bank With the conclusion of this the standards. Also, the ad- first class responsibilities..." named First Citizen in 1980, has in Tidewater and on the medical year's ratline, there are many school board. ministration made thau: desire He is scheduled to meet with the joined the Virginia Military In- happy and reTiev^ fourth known concerning the Rat Bat- Superintendent in April to stitute Alumni Agencies as He is, in addition, a retired classmen walking around bar- talion Commander. Apparently, discuss this subject. According director of administration and colonel in the Marine Corps racks. This recently completed they wanted to make one of the to Clark, the key is: "Vigilance finance. Reserve and has to his credit two publications, a pictorial ratline was full of controversy Battalion Executive Officers on the part of people in authori- Wentz, a Portsmouth native history of Portsmouth and a and dissatisfaction but was the Rat Battalion Commander. ty." and 1954 VMI graduate, was volume on memorable sports nevertheless, successful. Many Clark was strongly opposed to Recently, the second class president until 1981 of the figures and teams in Virginia. individuals have expressed a this notion and will not allow it. elected its Rat Disciplinary Eastern Division of the Virginia Wentz and his wife, Connie, considerable amount of concern Clark has intentions of getting Committee for next year. The Federal Savings and Loan daughter of a 1924 VMI in regard to future ratlines; the first class privates more in- 1983-84 R.DTC. will consist of: Association. Elected to the graduate, are the parents of specifically, next year's. volved. In the past, he has notic- President Steve Sullivan, Vice Portsmouth city couqcil in 1972 three children, two sons, one at However, preparations are ed friction t>etween rankers, Presidents, Jay Brock and Chip and vice mayor from 1974 to the University of Richmond, already being made to accom- privates, and men on permit. To Yates, Secretaries Pete 1978, he has also served as and one at Elon College, and a modate the rat mass in the fall. counteract this, he has set up a Marsenison, Andy Protogyrou, president of the Portsmouth daughter, a graduate of Rich- Next year's first class president committee consisting of men Mark Gaines, and Matt Martin. General Hospital Board; chair- mond, who is living in Ports- Jim Clark and next year's representing all of the above to The remaining members are man of the Eastern Virginia mouth. His family will join him R.D.C. president, Steve help settle their differences. Kurt Weitz, Kevin Sample, Tom Medical Authority, parent in Lexington at a later date. Sullivan, are currently working This committee has already Anthony, Steve Breunig, Tom organization of the Eastern for a smooth transfer of power. proven to be valuable. Finally, Berry, Dan White, and Kyle Virginia Medical School; chair- At the VMI Alumni Agencies, Jim Clark takes his future Clark has come up with several Sinisi. man of the Tidewater Transpor- Wentz succeeds William H. Craft, the first to hold the posi- role of first class president very ideas for an efficient cadre Sullivan is "generally pleased tation District Commission; tion created in a 1981 reorgani- seriously. He has strong feel- wliich should make that week with those elected to the and member of the board of the zation of the alumni offices. ings concerning the ratline and go more smoothly. R.D.C." He is happy to have Health Systems Agency of Craft, a Washington and Lee plans on upholding the stand- been elected to his position and Tidewater, the Portsmouth Clark does not want to create graduate, has taken a new posi- ards of this treasured tradition. plans to make the most of it. He school board, and the board of a standard ratline. He feels that tion in New Bern, N.C. He recently met with Colonel hopes that a higher level of uni- it is the responsibility of each ty between privates and rank- Snyder and stressed the need new first class to mold a ratline for professionalism. He left ers will occur. He also believes and run it as they see fit. He and that by getting an early start, a Teacher and Former with the impression that Snyder his fellow class leaders are at- better understanding between wants to work for a strict and tempting to get all policies set the administration's goals and Diplomat demanding ratline. and improved this year in order those of the Corps will be byPaulBurch Clark has set several specific to avoid problems in the fall. he served for over twenty-five achieved. Among the many noteworthy aims for next year. He will de- His goal is to work with the ad- years in the foreign service Next year will be crucial in members of the VMI faculty, mand a high standard of ap- ministration, not against it. bureau of the State Depart- regard to the ratline's future, one man deserves special pearance for all those up- ment. During this time he held • However, Clark "represents the (continued on page 3) recognition. This man is Dr. perclassmen involved with the many important offices, in- Fred Hadsel. A native of Ox- cluding those of ambassador to ford, Ohio, he obtained his AB Somalia (Africa) from 1969-1971 at the University ol Miami and Ambassador to Ghana New Market March (Ohio) and his MA in Foreign (Africa) from 1971-1974. Dr. cadets on the four-day hike. Affairs at Clark University in Hadsel states that being an am- by Martin H. Heisrath New Market battlefield in May Cadet Jim Hoy reinitiated the Massachusetts. Dr. Hadsel was t)assador entails much work On Thursday. May 12 a con- of 1864. The march this year is march last year, with Major also enrolled at the University and is not as glamorous a job as tingent of cadets under Major along Route 11, which for the King as the officer in charge. of Grenoble in France in 1933 most would think. As a King will, once again, under- most part follows the old Valley The five cadets who par- and the University of Freiburg representative an ambassador take the 85 mile hike from VMI Turnpike, the route taken by the ticipated in last year's march (Germany) in 1938 before earn- is the "eyes and ears" of his to New Market. The hike is New Market cadets. took their exams during the ear- ing his Ph.D. from the Universi government and must constant- reminiscent ol the historic The idea of the New Market ly part of the exam period to ty of Chicago in 1942. ly be thinking of the interest of march the cadets under Colonel march is not a new one. In 1979 (continued on page 3) Before coming to VMI in 1976, (continued on page 3) Scott Shipp took to reach the Captain Wagner led a group of P«g« 2, The VMI Oidet. March 18, IW WE'RE SJNWKtr ^ Me^J -TUME... Editorial W. Lynn Seldon Bruce Cohen Vlinor Repair The operation of as large an organization as the In- stitute offers continual examples of how not to run a business. Occasional glarii^ errors, the huge *snafus' that often mar our cadetship, are very numerous, but General officers excepted, no one is expected to be perfect. This week, in order to form a more perfect VMI, we turn our attentions not to the major pro- blems of school (our usual domain); but instead to the little, easily corrected flaws in the system that while significant, would not normally receive editorial ex- posure. Perhaps this is our greatest flaw; the lack of any viable means of suggesting minor repairs to a system in a constant need of such suggestions. It is neither the purpose nor the intent of this page to week- after-week concern itself with the mundane workings (CHAKfeES of our Corps and college. While there do exist cadet organizations dedicated to such recommendations, IN ATTTTUt>tS, Tw etotcs' the Posit Committee chief among them, there needs to be greater interaction with, and availability of, these potentially invaluable mechanisms. Let lis, however, posit three recommendations for simple, common sensical change. Letters To The Editor Dear Cadet stone: who call on the sick, the shut- Dear Editor, —First, in taking academic days in conjunction ins, and needy,—those who give with regularly-scheduled furloughs, cadets are I was both ashamed and blood without recompense ac- Read with interest your arii restricted to only using such additional vacation days shocked to read the editorial tually feel better for having cle entitled "Melitz Relays Pro- before the Corps is released on break, not after. The written by First Classmen rendered that service. All of us blems" in the January 28th logic of this regulation escapes us, as invariably more Bruce Cohen and W. Lynn must respond promptly to the issue of The VMI Cadet. academic work is assigned just prior to a vacation Seldon enUUed "Blood Permit: opportunity of being of service As a long time friend of the Corps and Commandant Act to our fellow man.