Volume XXXV, Number 7, June 2008 Secretary of Defense Sends Off VMI Graduates By Wendy Lovell Secretary of Defense Robert M. forward and commit to public Gates congratulated graduating service,” said Gates. “While the VMI cadets on making it from the obligations of citizenship in any Rat Line to the finish line at an democracy are considerable, they institution more demanding than are even more profound, and more most colleges and universities in demanding, as citizens of a nation his commencement address May with America’s global challenges and 16 in Cameron Hall. responsibilities and America’s values He added that he’s impressed by and aspirations.” the increasing number of men and Since 2001, 75 cadets have been women from VMI who commission mobilized during their cadetship, into the military – it’s a tribute to 41 of them in Iraq or Afghanistan. the values the Institute instills in its In addition, 10 cadets are currently students, he said. Fifty-two percent deployed overseas. More than 1,200 of the 246 members of the Class of VMI graduates have served in Iraq or 2008 had commissioned into the Afghanistan, and eight did not come U.S. military the day before. home, said Gates. “It is precisely during these Graduating Cadet Brittany Ray shakes hands with Secretary of He encouraged the graduating trying times that America needs its Defense Robert Gates, who gave the commencement address class to follow in the footsteps of best and brightest young people, during the ceremony May 16 in Cameron Hall. – VMI Photo by alumni like Gen. George C. Marshall, from all walks of life, to step Kevin Remington. who came out of retirement when Please see page 3 VMI Receives Grant to Enhance Arabic Program By Wendy Lovell The Virginia Military Institute has received a three-year, $665,000 which will also serve as a model for other institutions to improve upon grant from U.S. Department of Defense to enhance its Arabic studies their curricula and build their enrollments. Enhancing awareness of program and provide opportunities for cadets to study the language and foreign cultures is a key cadet development goal for the Institute, and culture abroad. VMI is one of eight schools to receive funding through this initiative also dovetails nicely with our goals for the Institute.” the Reserve Officer Training Corps – ROTC – Language and Culture The grant supports the establishment of a writing, reading and oral/ Project. aural center in Arabic in VMI’s department of modern languages and The project is designed to provide ROTC students with the opportunity cultures; provides Arabic summer study abroad scholarships for ROTC to study languages and cultures of world regions critical to U.S. national commissioning cadets, including those in engineering and science; security. It is sponsored by the DOD’s National Security Education and provides funding for commissioning cadets who major or minor Program, a federal initiative designed to build a broader and more in Arabic to attend supplemental summer immersion Arabic language qualified pool of U.S. citizens with foreign language and international programs at U.S. institutions with well-established Arabic programs. skills. Twelve commissioning cadets have been selected for 2008 summer “We have a mature Arabic program that is firmly established as the scholarships, 12 cadets will continue their study of Arabic, 10 ROTC second most studied foreign language at VMI,” said Brig. Gen. Charles F. cadets will study in Morocco and two commissioning cadets will attend Brower IV, deputy superintendent for academics and dean of the faculty. an intensive immersion program at Dartmouth College. “This generous grant allows us to enhance our already strong program, In addition, the grant will support a cross-cultural conference at Please see page 3 PAGE 2, THE INSTITUTE REPORT, JUNE 2008 Honoring Those Who Fought Cadets lay a wreath in front of the statue, Virginia Mourning Her Dead, during the New Market Parade and Ceremony May 15. The ceremony honors the VMI cadets who fought at the Battle of New Market on May 15, 1864. Six of the 10 cadets who died as a result of the battle are buried at VMI. – VMI Photo by Kevin Remington. VMI Superintendent’s Contract Renewed Mr. G. Gilmer Minor III ’63, president of the VMI increase commissioning, enhance maturity of the Board of Visitors, is pleased to confirm that the Board cultural environment, and preserve VMI’s history and has signed a new contract with VMI Superintendent tradition. Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III ’62. The agreement extends “The Board is excited over the direction in which VMI General Peay’s term at VMI through 30 June 2013, is headed; it has recently reaffirmed its endorsement which will provide him with a decade of service to of Vision 2039 and is delighted that General Peay has VMI. accepted the Board’s offer to extend his contract,” The announcement was made at the Board’s spring added Mr. Minor. “We are particularly enthused by his meeting May 3. energy and passion, and the favorable response from “General Peay’s leadership over the past five years our alumni towards the Institute’s direction… and has been dynamic,” said Mr. Minor. “The Institute future.” has had remarkable success in all areas, with Vision General Peay expressed his enthusiasm in accepting 2039 initiated by General Peay serving as a beacon to J.H. Binford Peay III ’62 the extension. guide VMI toward its 200th anniversary. Vision 2039 “Pamela and I have thoroughly enjoyed our five years is a blue print for academics, the military, and athletics – to include in Lexington,” he said. “As I said in 2003, I owe so much to VMI and academic excellence, increased commissioning, emphasis on ethics, giving ‘something back’ has been my great motivation. I look forward values, culture, discipline, the physical environment, and winning to working closely with the Board of Visitors, the faculty and staff, our athletics. The known 14 ‘simplified descriptors’ of the Vision cover coaches, and the Corps as we move the Institute to the future, producing every aspect of VMI’s unique educational system operated within a graduates as citizen soldiers and future leaders of our nation.” military framework.” The academic program is central to the VMI experience. Through the dedicated work of the Dean’s Office and a vibrant faculty, and with the aid of the Jackson-Hope Fund, there have been dramatic enhancements in academics…all leading to the Institute receiving full reaccreditation, without conditions, from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) in December 2007. The new Core Curriculum initiative propels VMI into the next decade. Produced by the Office of Communications and Marketing Lt. Col. Stewart MacInnis – Acting Director General Peay recognized early on the necessity for upgrades to VMI’s Sherri Tombarge – Editor infrastructure and the need for capital improvements. These projects are Burton Floyd – Publications Coordinator instrumental in balancing all aspects of Vision 2039. The infrastructure Bob Holland, Wendy Lovell, and Lori Stevens - Writers upgrades and capital projects along with the beautification of the Kevin Remington and Lori Stevens - Photography Post, are serving to enhance the Institute aesthetically, improve the Printing – McClung Printing,Waynesboro, Va. Eight issues are printed during the academic year. Inquiries, suggestions, news items, or address changes should be directed to: image of VMI to all of its constituents, support the academic program Editor, The Institute Report, VMI Communications and Marketing, through modern facilities and technology, strengthen athletics, Lexington, Virginia 24450-0304, Telephone 540-464-7207, Fax 540-464-7443 THE INSTITUTE REPORT, JUNE 2008, PAGE 3 A Record Effort Samuel B. Witt III ’58 (holding microphone), 50th Reunion Fund chairman, and Stirling Williamson ’58 (holding check), class president, present a check for a 50th Reunion Fund record amount of $16,158,518.58 to VMI’s superintendent, Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III ’62 (far right), and James F. Spellman Jr. ’85 (far left), president of the VMI Alumni Association. The check was presented on behalf of the Class of 1958 at the Reunion Parade April 26. – VMI Alumni Association Photo by Kathryn Wise. Secretary of Defense Continued from page 1 called to continue serving his country, and Army Col. Jonathan Ives, For members of a graduating class who will pursue careers of a mobilized reservist from the Class of 1980. As commander of Task leadership in the military and civilian sectors, a visit from a major Force Cincinnatus in northern Afghanistan, Ives, like the Afghan national national leader was an inspirational way to end their cadetships. Prior security forces he works with, takes up arms when he must and puts to being named secretary of defense, Gates was president of Texas A&M them down when he can. University, director of the Central Intelligence Agency and assistant to “The citizen-soldier is no myth,” said Gates. “He is real, and I have the president and deputy national security adviser at the White House seen him in my travels around the world.” for President George H.W. Bush. Gates called upon the graduates to heed the trumpet’s call no matter Also addressing the graduates was Cadet Jesse Burnette of Marion, what career path they take. N.C., the Class of 2008 valedictorian; Cadet Jason Webb of Bowie, Md., “If in the 21st century, America is to be a force for good in the world, class president; and Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III, superintendent. if America is to continue to be a beacon for all who are oppressed, if Special awards presented during the ceremony included the First America is to exercise global leadership consistent with our better Jackson-Hope Medal for highest attainment in scholarship to Cadet angels, then the most able and idealistic of your generation must step Kevin Sullivan of Nokesville, the Second Jackson-Hope Medal for second forward and accept the burden and the duty of public service,” he highest attainment in scholarship to Michael Vinacco of Poquoson, and said.