10 QUESTIONS FEATURE FEATURE TECH HISTORY FROM BOOTS BRAVE SMARTER & SAFER FRAT BROTHERS TO SUITS FACES MILITARY IN ARMS ALUMNI MAGAZINE VOLUME ALUMNI MAGAZINE 90 NO.2 2014 The Military Issue StaNDING TALL Elite ROTC programs, cutting-edge defense research and battalions of alumni veterans keep Tech’s ties to the military strong. Give Back without going back. As a proud Georgia Tech alumnus, you always want to give back when you can. That’s why Georgia Natural Gas® (GNG) makes that Sign Up decision easy with plans and payment options that fit every FOR GAS SERVICE budget and household. Save When you enroll with GNG and participate in the Gives Back UP TO 15¢ program, we’ll donate $5 a month to the Georgia Tech Alumni PER-THERM DISCOUNT* Association as long as you’re a GNG customer. And there’s no additional cost to you. In fact, we’ll even give you a discount Earn $5 A MONTH FOR GTAA just for being a Georgia Tech alumnus. 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Up to $0.15/therm discount on gas consumed available for a total of 12 consecutive months, provided customer remains on the selected price plan during the applicable period and pays all billed charges by the date due, or discount will be cancelled and customer will continue to be billed at the selected price plan rate without any discounts. Actual discount per therm dependent upon price plan selected by customer. Cannot be combined with any other offer. ©2014 Georgia Natural Gas 02/2014 GNG-1073 This color is an FPO indicating where the JOB NO.: SSE-22595_GNG_GeorgiaTechAd_FA ROUND: 4 Live: 7 x 9.875 CREATIVE DIRECTOR Lynn Pulsifer DESIGN Lyn Kotarski COLOR: 4CP Variable Text/Graphics are to be printed as CLIENT: Georgia Natural Gas TRIM: 8" w x 10.875" h PROJECT MANAGER COPY WRITER David Dulock Black (K=100). DESC: Georgia Tech Ad (option 3) BLEED: 8.25" w x 11.125" h BUILT @: 100% ACCOUNT MANAGER PROOFING Amanda Webb DATE: 12/19/2013 SPECIAL DIE LINE: YES NO DOUBLE SIDED: PRINTED @: 100% PROGRAM MANAGER PRODUCTION Lyn Kotarski CONTENTS features CO VOLUME 90 NO.2 2014 BRAVE FACES SMARTER & SAFER MILITARY G.T. R.O.T.C. N.O.W P 40 P 48 P 56 Tech alumni and Many of the latest, cutting- Follow a day in students share how they edge technologies designed to the lives of two of the served the call of duty in help and protect our troops Institute’s top ROTC very different ways. get their start in Tech labs. Marine options. Justen Clay departments p 22 p 30 p 38 p 100 AROUND CAMPUS 010 ALUMNI HOUSE 066 012 Talk of Tech Students investigate the 068 New Trustees Appointed landscapes of war under their feet. 070 Wrecks at Work Resources for veterans 016 Student News transitioning from “boots to suits.” 022 10 Questions 072 Travel 024 Office Space Dana Gordon, EE 89, runs a 074 Affinity Groups Why the GT Military very tight ship as XO of the USS Iwo Jima. Affinity Group is for more than just swapping war stories. ON THE FIELD 026 RAMBLIN’ ROLL 076 026 Mr. Consistency For Matt Kuchar, Mgt 00, the key to winning is approaching every 077 Out & About golf tournament the same way. 080 Weddings 028 Athlete Profiles 082 Births 084 In Memoriam IN THE WORLD 030 030 Dollars & Sense Jaime Weston, Mgt 94, 100 scored big when she landed a job with TECH HISTORY the NFL. 100 Memories Two of the most powerful military officers in the world were 032 Tech Hack fraternity brothers at Tech. 034 On The Job Amy Vertrees, Bio 95, follows a call to care for those in harm’s way. 104 Artifacts 105 036 Jacket Copy Excerpt from The Lieutenant Time Machine Don’t Know by Jeff Clement, ME 08. 038 Balancing Act Jenny Lentz Moore, AE 05, bacK page 106 not only flies a F/A-18 Superhornet for the Navy, she’s also a new mom. Preparing for the war we won’t expect. On the Cover: Andrew Townsend and Shelby Downing represent the elite students who make up Tech’s ROTC programs today. Justen Clay Cover photo: Gregory Miller GTALUMNIMAG.COM 0 0 5 VOLUME 90 NO.2 2014 PUBLISHER’ S LETTER PL Tech’s Military Tradition Leaves a Lasting Legacy Georgia Tech’s rich and longstanding you enjoy the stories military heritage is a legacy of both ser- we’ve chosen to share, vice and progress. In Bob Wallace’s great and what we couldn’t history of Tech, Dress Her in White and will no doubt wind up in Gold, he talks about the beginnings of a future issue. Tech’s engagement in the defense of I also want to tend our country. When the United States to a little business here entered World War I, Georgia Tech of- as well. Our second fered its facilities “for any war work that annual Gold & White might be needed.” But the government Honors Gala was fi- replied that the education Tech provid- nally held on March 25 ed was more critical to the nation than after “Snowmageddon anything else the Institute could supply, 2” delayed our planned and thus it should continue following its February event. The core mission. gala came off beautiful- Still, Tech soon began a number of ly, and we honored some special programs to support war efforts, of our incredible alum- including military aeronautics, radio ni and friends for their communications, wireless telegraphy great service to Tech. and even auto track construction. (I tried We also raised more looking this term up but couldn’t find it; than $400,000 for the I assume this refers to the development Association’s student and operation of tank treads. Correct me programs, including the if I’m wrong, alumni!) Student Alumni Asso- In June of 1916, ROTC was established ciation, the GT Student on campus. Georgia Tech’s first ROTC Foundation and the GT commander arrived in December of 1917, Ambassadors. These and almost 100 years later, our ROTC programs are building programs still rank among the strongest the future alumni leaders of Georgia Tech, comic books. He’s now the co-writ- in the nation. Georgia Tech’s research pro- and the caliber of our student members is er for DC Comics’ The Flash and Green gram is also part and parcel of ensuring striking. These young adults will inspire Lantern Corps. Good luck to Van and that our country remains a technological you and give you great hope for the future welcome to Roger! leader in defense matters. In 2013, Tech of America. Thanks to our great sponsors, As always, thank you for your ter- was granted more than $300 million in including the Coca-Cola Company and rific support of Georgia Tech. Alumni research awards from the U.S. Air Force, Coca-Cola Enterprises, who presented are one of Tech’s greatest assets, and Army, Navy and the Department of De- the event. Please take a look at the en- you prove that fact day after day, year fense, and that doesn’t count other related closed booklet. after year. work that we do for the NSA and other Finally, you’ll note a couple chang- agencies. There are so many amazing sto- es on the masthead of the magazine. ries to tell—including those involving Roger Slavens has joined us as editor, alumni who’ve served our country in re- and he brings more than 20 years of markable ways—that it’s been quite a magazine and journalism experience to JOSEPH P. IRWIN, IM 80 challenge to select which ones to fit into the role. His predecessor, Van Jensen, PRESIDENT & CEO the 108 pages of this magazine. We hope is off to follow a lifelong dream to write GEORGIA TECH ALUMNI ASSOCIATION GTALUMNIMAG.COM 0 0 6 VOLUME 90 NO.2 2014 Georgia Tech Alumni Magazine Vol. 90, No. 2 PUBLISHER Eric L. Pinckney Sr., ME 86, M CP 93, Member at Large IA 03; Anu Parvatiyar, BME 08; Michael John Joseph P. Irwin, IM 80 Sheryl S. Prucka, EE 82, MS EE 84, Member at Large Rafferty Jr., EE 02; Dr. Michael J. Rooney, Chem James E. Trimble Jr., Mgt 91, Member at Large 73; Leslie R. Sibert, EE 85; Tyler A. Townsend, IE EDITOR Joseph P. Irwin, IM 80, President & CEO 98; Elizabeth Bulat Turner, IAML 04; Elizabeth H. Roger Slavens Wallace, Arch 96; S. Brent Zelnak, Mgt 94 BoaRD OF TRUSTEES ASSIStant EDITOR Stanley E. Anderson, IM 75; J. Paul Austin, Mgt ADVERTISING Melissa Weinman 99; Nathan Bennett, PhD Mgt 89; Jeni S. Bogdan, Holly Green (404) 894-0765 DESIGNER Mgt 89, MS Mgt 96; Arthur O.