Institute Report. October 2001

              Page 1, The Institute Report, Matriculation Issue, October 2001
VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE OCTOBER 2001 VOLUME XXIX, NUMBER 3
Focus on Undergraduate Research
Three important research-related programs open to cadets in any major
“Research” is not always the first thing that comes to mind at VMI; typically, one thinks of
large universities with extensive graduate programs. But “undergraduate research,” particu-larly
collaborations between cadets and faculty, is not only alive and well at VMI, but poised for
tremendous growth in the next several years thanks to a number of strategic efforts. And what
could be more natural for VMI: a school where self-reliance, creative thinking, resourceful-ness,
and a desire to challenge one’s boundaries are hallmarks of its educational philosophy
also creates an environment suited to the independent search for knowledge.
“The Undergraduate Research Inititative exploits the close association between cadets and
faculty mentors that has always existed here and to establish undergraduate research as a
distinctive element of a VMI education,” VMI’s Dean Brigadier General Charles F. Brower
observed. “We believe that very profound academic experiences result from the close asso-ciation
of faculty members and intellectually curious cadets pursuing well-conceived research.
The Undergraduate Research Initiative will help to cultivate enduring mentoring relationships,
nurture cadet appreciation for real world problem solving, help to inculcate creativity and an
appreciation of the need for life long learning in cadets, and assist our graduates’ preparation
for graduate schooling and professional life.”
Spearheading the development of undergraduate research programs, fittingly, is the Office
of Undergraduate Research. Three specific initiatives will be undertaken by the office this
year: a new Summer Undergraduate Research Institute, a new Cadet Research symposium,
and the revamped Undergraduate Research Review.
The Summer Undergraduate Research Institute recently was singled out for $43,000 in
support by the Jackson-Hope Fund, an innovative part of Reveille: A Call to Excel, VMI’s
ongoing $175 million capital campaign. An additional $17,000 in private funding will also
help launch the new program. Ten cadets will receive $3,000 each while conducting research
projects during the summer under the oversight of faculty mentors. The faculty mentors will
also receive a $3,000 stipend. Cadets interested in applying for the Summer Undergraduate
Research Institute should consult their faculty advisors as soon as possible.
The first VMI Cadet Research Symposium will be held on April 26-27, 2002. The event,
designed to showcase cadet research, will include cadet presentations as well as poster ses-sions
and informal demonstrations. The Office of Undergraduate Research will provide
administrative support for the symposium, and will also provide cash prizes for the best cadet
Jackson-Hope Faculty Development Leaves
Announced for Spring Semester 2002
projects. Cadets interested in presenting projects at the VMI Cadet Research Symposium should
consult their faculty advisors immediately.
The Undergraduate Research Review will be co-edited by two VMI faculty members, Major
Judy Cain, assistant professor of chemistry, and Colonel Turk McCleskey, professor of history.
Providing an important forum for cadet projects in all majors, “the Undergraduate Research
Review offers cadets a means of demonstrating their intellectual potential to any graduate or
professional school,” said McClesky.
Colonel James E. Turner ’65, Director of Undergraduate Research, is enthusiastic about the
opportunities these programs offer. “This is a most exciting time to be at VMI. With creative
resources such as the Jackson-Hope Fund available, we will certainly catapult ourselves among
the premier undergraduate research institutions within the next decade.” Colonel Turner
emphasized that the programs are open to all cadets.
Faculty members interested in participating as a partner in cadet projects can obtain addi-tional
information from Colonel Turner or other members of the Undergraduate Research
Committee—Major Cain (Chemistry), Major Squire (Electrical Engineering), Colonel
McCleskey (History), Colonel McDonald (English and Fine Arts), and Lieutenant Colonel Tho-mas
(Physics and Astronomy).
The Dean of the Faculty has announced the award of the
first two Jackson-Hope Faculty Development Leaves for the
spring semester 2002 to Colonel Thomas W. Davis ’64, profes-sor
of history, and Colonel Henry D. Schreiber, professor and
head of chemistry.
Funded by grants from the Jackson-Hope Fund, the Faculty
Development Leave Program seeks to encourage course & cur-riculum
development, faculty development, and general scholarly
activity by VMI’s full-time teaching faculty. The program seeks
to build on the success of the Wachtmeister, VMI Awards, and
Ayres Faculty Development leaves with an eventual goal of offer-ing
eight leaves annually within the next six years.
“These inaugural Jackson-Hope Faculty Development Leaves
are striking evidence of the potency of the Jackson-Hope Fund
and its ability to provide direct and responsive support to VMI’s campaign for academic excellence,” VMI’s Dean Brigadier
General Charles F. Brower stated. “And it’s only appropriate that two of VMI’s most distinguished and productive scholars will
first carry the Jackson-Hope guidon for the faculty.”
Colonel Davis, professor of history, will develop a new course on the history of VMI, to be offered as early as the fall of 2002.
He plans to spend time researching primary and secondary source material contained in VMI’s archives, as well as those of the
Commonwealth of Virginia in Richmond, and other repositories. Davis also intends to research other college course offerings
in institutional history before developing a detailed curriculum proposal. “I have long had an interest in the history of VMI,”
noted Davis in his leave application. “This course will provide a needed addition to our offerings in 400-level research
courses…[and] will lead to a number of publication proposals to be submitted by cadets and [myself].”
Colonel Schreiber, professor of chemistry and head of the chemistry department, will undertake three separate tasks during
his leave. He will produce a review paper summarizing the state-of-the-art knowledge of redox chemistry in glass. Schreiber
is a recognized authority in glass chemistry whose expertise in the production of a review of the current knowledge in the field
is much in demand, and he already has an offer of publication for such a work. Schreiber will also develop new laboratory
modules for general chemistry, and undertake the authoring of a number of scientific articles aimed at the high school and
college student audience. Another key element of Schreiber’s proposed leave is the involvement of cadets. “All such activities
will directly involve students,” noted Schreiber.
The Jackson-Hope Fund supports the leave program by providing funding for part-time instructors to teach courses in place
of the faculty members on leave. $32,000 has been allocated to support the Faculty Development Leave Program for the spring
semester. The Jackson-Hope Fund provided monies totaling $353,000 for academic year 2001-2002. “This funding assists
VMI’s strategy of advancing on multiple fronts,” explained Brower. “It supports and reinforces mature academic programs
with established national reputations, aids other departments seeking national reputation through accreditation, and stimu-lates
cross-curricular initiatives such as VMI’s innovative Undergraduate Research Initiative, the VMI Writing Program, the
Institute Honors Program, and Faculty Technology grants, all aimed at lifting VMI to the top national academic reputation it
deserves.”
Col. Tom Davis ’64 Col. Henry Schreiber
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Research Spotlight:
Tapping the Ocean’s
Medicine Cabinet
The weekend of 23-24 September, Major Stan Smith,
assistant professor of chemistry, and cadets Jason Breeding
’02, Brian Toney ’02, Nam Tran ’02, and Heidi Theule ’03
attended the Southeastern Regional Meeting of the American
Chemical Society in Savannah, Georgia. Two cadets
presented the results of their research at VMI in an
undergraduate poster session: Cadet Breeding presented
a research poster entitled “Exchange Dynamics of Block
Copolymers in Selective Solvents,” while Cadet Toney
presented a research poster entitled “Synthetic Studies of
Bisindole Alkaloids.” Cadet Breeding’s research advisor is
Major Judy Cain and Cadet Toney’s research advisor is Major
Stan Smith. (See page 6 for more on Breeding’s research.)
So what exactly are “bisindole alkaloids”? These are
compounds derived from marine organisims – primarily
sponges – which have apparent medicinal value that is just
beginning to be realized. Toney & Smith have concentrated
on trying to synthesize one of these compounds in the
laboratory; an elusive goal thus far, but one that promises
a far easier means of producing the valuable compound
than diving for sponges. “I have always thought that the
lab environment is interesting; finding and creating new
things,” says Toney, a first class chemistry major and
member of the wrestling team. “I enjoy the challenge that
it brings. It is very frustrating trying to create these
compounds, but a success feels so good when it finally
comes about.”
Page 2, The Institute Report, Matriculation Issue, October 2001
The Institute Report
Editor ......................... Lt. Col. Chuck Steenburgh ’86
Managing Editor ................................... Burton Floyd
Contributing writers/photographers:
Doug Chase, Chris Clark,
Gardner Mundy ’98, Donna Weaver,
and the VMI Alumni Review
Printing ................ The News-Gazette, Lexington, Va.
The Institute Report is published by the VMI Public
Relations Office. Eight issues are printed during the
academic year. Inquiries, suggestions, news items, or
address changes should be directed to Editor, The
Institute Report, VMI Public Relations Office, Lexington,
Virginia 24450-0304. Current and past issues and
articles are available on the world wide web at:
http://www.vmi.edu/news/ir/index.html
Telephone 540-464-7207
Fax 540-464-7443
E-Mail:vmireport@vmi.edu
Tommy Norment ’68 makes
a point during a Senate
Finance Committee hear-ing
in the General
Assembly. (Photo courtesy
Bob Brown/Richmond
Times Dispatch.)
Dr. Henry Kissinger addressed the VMI community October 10 in VMI’s Cameron Hall. Dr. Kissinger, a former Secretary
of State and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize is the tenth speaker of the H.B. Johnson, Jr ’26 Distinguished Lecture
Series. Also pictured is Major General Josiah Bunting III, ’63, Superintendent (left) and Laura Johnson, widow of
B.K. Johnson, benefactor of the lecture series.
Founders Day
William H. Berry ’54 to Receive Distinguished Service Award
At this year’s Founders Day convocation on November 12, William W. Berry ’54 will be
presented with the VMI Foundation’s highest honor – the Distinguished Service Award – for his
many years of work on behalf of the Virginia Military Institute. Berry will receive the award at
a convocation to be held at 1 p.m. in Cameron Hall and be one of the guests of honor at a
review immediately following the convocation at 3 p.m. General Anthony C. Zinni, USMC (Ret.),
Holder of the Thomas Bahnson and Anne Bassett Stanley Professorship in Ethics and Integrity,
is the primary speaker at the convocation.
Many histories in each edition of The Bomb predict that their subjects will enjoy great suc-cess
in the future. Such is the case with that of William W. Berry ’54. After looking at the
impressive list of Berry’s many activities and accomplishments as a cadet – including four
years on the wrestling team, his steady progress from private to corporal to sergeant to lieuten-ant,
his status as a distinguished military student, his service to his class as an officer and
valedictorian – a reader can see why Berry’s history ends with the sentence, “We feel sure he
will enjoy continued success.”
That “feeling” must have been a strong one for, after graduating from VMI, Berry embarked
on a successful business career, lent his leadership to many civic activities in Virginia and worked tirelessly on behalf of VMI.
After two years in the Army, Berry joined Virginia Power as an engineer (he majored in electrical engineering) and “rose
through the ranks” to become its president and chief operating officer in 1980. A long-time advocate of the application of free-market
principles to the electric power industry, Berry led the effort in 1983 that created Dominion Power Resources as a
holding company for Virginia Power, as well as other non-regulated subsidiaries involved in such activities as power plant
construction and real estate development. Berry retired from Dominion Resources as its chairman in June 1992. His other
business activities included membership on the boards of many companies, including Scott and Stringfellow, Universal Corpo-ration,
Ethyl Corporation, and Albemarle Corporation.
Considering the business responsibilities that Mr. Berry faced, some would expect him to wait until his retirement to be-come
involved in civic affairs. Yet, while he was active in business, Mr. Berry somehow found the time to become involved in
higher education in Virginia. He served on the boards of trustees, as the chairman of special committees, and as a teacher in
executive-in-residence programs at such institutions and organizations as Hollins College, the College of William and Mary,
Union Theological Seminary, the University of Richmond, the Virginia College Fund and the Virginia Foundation for Indepen-dent
Colleges. A tireless Berry also served Virginia in a broader sense through his involvement in such organizations as the
Metropolitan Richmond Chamber of Commerce, Richmond Renaissance, the United Way, the Robert E. Lee Council of the Boy
Scouts of America, the Virginia Foundation for Research and Economic Education, the Virginia Hunger Foundation, the Com-monwealth
Alliance for Drug Rehabilitation and the Virginia Economic Development Corporation. In the early 1990s, Governor
L. Douglas Wilder appointed him to the Governor’s Advisory Commission on the Dillon Rule and Local Government and as co-chairman
of the Workforce 2000 Advisory Council. In 1993, his service to the Commonwealth was recognized by the Old
Dominion Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America with the presentation of its prestigious Thomas Jefferson Award
for Public Service. This award was created to “honor individual Virginians – or others predominantly identified with Virginia
over a considerable period of time – who have rendered selfless and significant service to the Commonwealth through per-sonal
participation in important public service activities.” Previous recipients include James C. Wheat Jr. ’41 and Winthrop
Rockefeller.
Yet while Berry certainly gave much of his time to his business interests and devoted much of his energy to serving Virginia,
he also gave much of himself to VMI. Berry served on the VMI Keydet Club’s Board of Governors from 1981 to 1984. During the
Sesquicentennial Challenge fundraising campaign, he was chairman of the Virginia Region and from 1986 to 1990, he was a
member of the VMI Alumni Association’s Board of Directors. He is currently serving as a member of the Campaign Executive
Committee of Reveille: A Call to Excel and as a member of the Jackson-Hope Fund’s Board of Overseers.
Perhaps his finest moment in service to VMI came during his time on the VMI Board of Visitors. Appointed to the board in 1990
by Governor Wilder, he was president of the board from 1995 to 1998. It was during his tenure as president that the U.S.
Supreme Court issued its decision that VMI’s single-sex policy was unconstitutional, the board of visitors voted to make VMI a
co-ed institution, and VMI developed its own approach to co-education. All those who were involved in these events praise the
leadership that Berry provided the board and the entire VMI family. As one of the nominators of Berry for the Distingished
Service Award noted, “Bill was the Rock of Gibraltar as he led us through some very troubled times. He was the right man at the
right time.”
William H. Berry ’54
Norment Named
Legislator of the Year
Senator Thomas K. Norment
’68 (R-James City) was recently
named “Legislator of the Year”
by the Virginia Association of
Local Elected Constitutional
Officers (VALECO). “I am
humbled that this organization
of public servants has chosen
to honor me in this way,” said
Norment. “It is truly an honor
and a privilege to accept this
award.”
In selecting Norment for this
award, VALECO cited Norment’s
understanding of the demands
of local government as a result
of his previous experience as a
member of the James City
County Board of Supervisors,
his support for constitutional
officers as a member of the Senate Finance Committee and his
support of Commonwealth Attorney’s as members of the Sen-ate
Courts of Justice and the Virginia State Crime Commission.
VALECO also noted the assistance Norment provided to Clerks
of Circuit Courts throughout Virginia by sponsoring a “fixed
felony bill” in the 2000 Session of the General Assembly, pro-viding
administrative relief for the Clerks of Court.
Continued on page 7
Vazsonyi to Speak at VMI
Dr. Balint Vazsonyi, a noted concert pianist and political
philosopher, will address the Corps of Cadets and the VMI com-munity
on Wednesday, October 24th at 11a.m. in Jackson
Memorial Hall.
Vazsonyi earned acclaim as a concert pianist over a period
of five decades; The Times (London) wrote of him, “Beethoven
himself might have played his sonatas much as Mr. Vazsonyi
did.”
Vazsonyi is also a successful writer; he has a bi-weekly col-umn
in The Washington Times and has had many articles
published by The Wall Street Journal, National Review, and
the Scripps-Howard News Service. His prominence on the
domestic and international scene is best illustrated by his in-clusion
in Who’s Who in America, and in Who’s Who in the
World.
In a life full of extremes, Vazsonyi fled from Hungary after
the 1956 Soviet crackdown and became a U.S. citizen. Since
then he has also been Professor of Music at Indiana Univer-sity;
Dean of Music at the New World School of the Arts in
Miami; Founder and CEO of Telemusic, Inc.; writer/producer/
presenter of TV/video films about great composers; and can-didate
for mayor of Bloomington, Indiana.
As well as an Artist Diploma from Budapest’s famed Liszt
Academy of Music, Vazsonyi holds a Ph.D. in history and joined
the Potomac Foundation as a senior fellow in 1993. In 1996
he was appointed Director of the Center for the American
Founding. His proposals for the application of America’s found-ing
principles to the national debates of today have been printed
in the Congressional Record, Imprimis, The Heritage Lec-tures,
and in Representative American Speeches.
Page 3, The Institute Report, Matriculation Issue, October 2001
Governor James Gilmore describes via teleconference the nation’s first comprehensive
E-Communities initiative. The Governor spoke to 750 attendees at the opening session
of the COVITS Conference held at VMI September 23-25.
Jones Uses Research to Engender Enthusiasm in Chemistry
Research engenders enthusiasm in a subject, particularly
the sciences, by putting the student and the faculty member on
the same side of the problem,” Col. Tappey H. Jones ’70, pro-fessor
of chemistry, explained recently. “It represents in a
specific way what mentoring is all about.”
When Jones arrived from his native Tidewater to enter the
Ratline in August 1966, his immediate plans were focused on
training to be an Air Force navigator, participating as a valued
sprinter on the track team of storied VMI track coach Walt
Cormack, and pursuing his love of music by playing clarinet
in the Regimental Band. Pursuing his interest in poetry, he
also served as the editor of the second volume of the cadet
literary magazine Sounding Brass.
He had enjoyed high school science classes, but signed up
to be a chemistry major “because I had to sign up to major in
something. It was after I started taking courses that I started
to get interested. But it was only when I began to do research
with Col. (Herbert) Ritchey that I really got interested. It was
then I realized that the best way to ‘learn’ science is to ‘do’
science. Science isn’t one blazing success after another. There’s
a lot of failure in research. But if one thing doesn’t work, we
move on to the next.”
With obvious respect and admiration, he listed those who
taught him chemistry while a cadet: Col. Leslie German, Col.
Gene Wise, Col. Frank Settle, Col. Ed Goller, Col. George Pickral,
and Ritchey. “I was Col. Ritchey’s last research student as he
died while I was a first classman, right after Christmas break.
We worked together on making new sulfa drugs. With his help,
I had some success and made some new compounds and found
that I enjoyed research,” commented Jones wistfully.
His Air Force navigator hopes grounded by a 4-F classifica-tion,
Jones earned a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the
University of North Carolina in 1974. He taught at several uni-versities
and worked in the research field before his 1993
appointment to the faculty at his alma mater, “ a place,” he
recalled of his cadet years, “which gave me the ability to ‘take
a punch’ and taught me the value of perseverance.”
Jones’s primary research and that in which he has mentored
cadets has involved the insect world, primarily ants. And who
cares what anybody knows about ants? Jones was quick to ex-plain.
“Insects are our major competitors for food. If man
does not control insects, then we all will starve to death. Ants
communicate with each other using chemicals, and ants have
a lot to do with controlling other insects.” Suddenly, studying
ants made sense.
While on the subject of ants, Jones talked fondly of Jason Co
’01 and Victor Zottig ’01, who both did significant undergradu-ate
research for more than two years under Jones’ mentoring
prior to their May graduation. “Working with exceptional stu-dents
(like Co and Zottig) is the best part of teaching. I really
miss both of them a great
deal,” said Jones.
Last fall, Co and Zottig
were the first recipients of
the Larry L. Jackson ’62 Re-search
Award, which will be
presented annually by the
directors of the VMI Re-search
Laboratories.
Additionally, Jones, who was
the recipient of the
Institute’s 1999 Matthew
Fontaine Maury Research
Award, and Zottig received the Wilbur S. Hinman Jr. ’26 Re-search
Award at the 2001 Institute Awards Convocation last
spring. The award recognizes superior achievement by a ca-det
in research performance and provides recognition for his
faculty sponsor’s effort to encourage cadet participation in such
research.
In further recognition of Jones’s outstanding, ongoing con-tributions
to the academic life of the Institute, he was named
in October 2000 as the recipient of a $65,000 grant awarded
by the competitive and prestigious Camille & Henry Dreyfus
Foundation Scholar/Fellow Program for Undergraduate Insti-tutions.
Jazz Band ‘The Commanders’
Plays North Carolina
The VMI Commanders, VMI’s 17-piece jazz and dance band, traveled to High Point, North
Carolina Monday, September 24th to perform a benefit concert at High Point University. The
event was sponsored and arranged by Mr. David Gouge, a member of VMI’s Class of 2001, who
is now attending High Point University and will graduate this spring. The concert was pro-duced
by the student government to raise money for the United Way in an effort to contribute
to the relief of the recent terrorist attacks. The concert raised approximately $3,000 for the
cause. Gouge, who was a member of Band Company and a former trumpeter in the Command-ers,
is presently the president of High Point’s student government.
The Commanders traveled down to High Point Monday afternoon, set up inside a gymna-sium
(as rain forced the band inside) and proceeded to swing the house to a large and
appreciative audience of college students and the general public. The performance was well
received by the crowd who gave the band a standing ovation upon the conclusion of the hour
and forty minute concert.
Cadet in charge and student director Chris Mills ’02, who was instrumental with all phases
of the trip—most notably the set up, sound engineering, and equipment transportation—was
pleased with the performance of the band. His sentiments were echoed by Colonel Brodie, the
band’s director, who said that the show was “superb for a performance with less than a month
back at school.”
Several members of the crowd took advantage of the tunes and proceeded to dance to such
favorites as “Jump Jive and Wail,” “Zoot Suit Riot,” and “Flip, Flop and Fly.” So infectious was
the sound of the band that even Cadet Brian Fitzpatrick ’01, who was working that night as the
sound technician for the band, got out on the dance floor with his happy feet with several
dance partners.
The band was back at it the following evening, September 25th, performing for the COVITS
dinner in Cameron Hall. and the group gave a rousing concert during Parents Weekend, on
the evening of October 12th.
VMI Announces Award Honoring
Sen. Harry F. Byrd, Jr. ’35
VMI Superintendent Major General Josiah Bunting III announced the establishment of the
Byrd Award for Public Service, made possible by the generosity of Harry F. Byrd, Jr., VMI
Class of 1935, and retired U.S. Senator from Virginia. The announcement was made in con-junction
with the appearance of Senator Byrd’s good friend, former Secretary of State and
Nobel prize laureate Dr. Henry Kissinger, as part of the H. B. Johnson, Jr. ’26 Distinguished
Lecture Series at VMI’s Cameron Hall on Wednesday, October 10, 2001.
The award consists of a medallion, conferred upon “Virginians who have served in govern-ment,
in offices elected or appointed, in state or federal posts, and whose service has been
distinguished by the ideals of VMI: selflessness, integrity, resolution, and courage.” The award
will be accompanied by a significant honorarium and may be conferred annually.
“No VMI man since the time of George C. Marshall, ’01, has more purely embodied VMI
ideals than Senator Byrd,” said Bunting. “I can think of no better way to honor the Byrd name
and its long legacy of service to the Commonwealth, country, and the Institute, than by this
award for public service.”
Among VMI’s most prominent alumni, Harry F. Byrd, Jr. served three terms in the U.S. Senate
from 1965-1983. He lives in Winchester.
USAF Heritage Band Performs
Somehow it seemed fitting – in fact, no one in Cameron Hall seemed surprised at the news
that the United States had just commenced bombing Afghanistan. The person delivering the
message was U. S. Air Force Master Sergeant Raymond Landon – and the reason it didn’t seem
out of place may have had something to do with the blue-clad mass behind him, the USAF
Heritage Band.
In a rousing program of seventeen patriotic songs, the USAF Heritage Band entertained a
bustling Cameron Hall for nearly two hours on Sunday, October 7. With a well-paced program,
the band quickly moved through a who’s who of composers, marches and hymns. The tone for
the performance was set when the band impeccably executed Copeland’s “Fanfare for the
Common Man” – for which Master Sergeant Peter Aiello deserves special mention for his
breathtaking solo performance on the trumpet. The “Garry Owen March,” “Fort McHenry
Suite,” “Victory at Sea,” “Amazing Grace,” and “God Bless America” further enhanced the
repertoire.
The highlight of the performance, through a combination of subject matter and timing, was
the world premier of “A Hymn for the Lost and the Living” by Eric Ewazen, a Julliard Professor
who composed the stirring piece at the request of Band Commander, Major Larry Lang.
The Heritage Band appeared at Cameron Hall courtesy of the sponsorship of the Lexington
News-Gazette.
Page 4, The Institute Report, Matriculation Issue, October 2001
Eugene Nelson Hockaday made sure that his 13 children
knew that certain standards of behavior and character were
expected from them. That’s just the way it was.
Sergeant Major Alvin N. Hockaday, USMC (Ret.), the middle
child of Eugene and Theresa Hockaday’s seven sons and six
daughters, recently recalled his 13th birthday while growing
up in the Fulton Bottom section of Richmond. “My father told
me to get into his truck, that he was taking me shopping for
my 13th birthday. That day he told me, ‘Son, you’re a full-grown
man now.’ He took me to Sears.”
The father bought his son some trousers, shirts, and shoes.
After they were done, the older man told his son, “This is the
last time I will ever buy you clothes. You’re welcome to stay in
the house as long as you’re in school, but you’re going to have
to get a job and pay room and board,” recalled Hockaday,
who retired at the end of September from his duties as Sergeant
Major to the Corps of Cadets, completing his third tour of duty
on Post.
“Next he took me down to the bank and had a gentleman
there explain a checking account to me. I opened a checking
account that day. My father handed me $10 to deposit in my
account and told me that was the last money he would give
me. I wrote my first check that day…for 25 cents.
“When I got home, I went down to the corner grocery store
and told the owner I’d like a job, and he worked out a schedule
for me that allowed me to work around my school
commitments. I made $13 a week and paid my parents $5 a
week room and board. I was so proud of that. And you know
what? I thought everybody’s Dad did that when they turned 13.
My father set standards for us, and I thank my lucky stars for
that all the time,” Hockaday continued.
Hockaday learned more about measuring up to standards
from his teachers and coaches at Armstrong High School. His
baseball coach, Mr. Kemp, a hard-nosed former Marine, left a
lasting impression on the young Hockaday. “Most of us wanted
to be like Mr. Kemp. He was a no-nonsense guy who told us
‘Do it this way because it’s the right way.’ He was a man of
incredible courage and character.”
Interested in college but without the financial wherewithal
to pursue that goal directly after graduation from Armstrong,
serendipity found Hockaday on the steps of an old abandoned
church the night of his last day of high school. A United States
Marine, wearing his dress blues, was walking down the street.
Hockaday and his buddies yelled to him, “Who are you?” The
man answered, “I’m a United States Marine.”
Impressed, Hockaday and his buddies decided on the spot
they were all going to enlist in the Marine Corps. Hockaday
found himself alone on the train to Parris Island, however, as
he alone among his buddies passed the admissions tests. “I
told the guy on the train I wasn’t going without my buddies,”
Hockaday remembered with a laugh. “He told me, ‘Get on the
train.’ I got on the train. On the ride down, I met so many
people from so many new places. I had never heard so many
different accents. I couldn’t understand a lot of them, but a lot
them couldn’t understand me either.”
Al Hockaday and the U.S. Marines Corps were a match made
in heaven. “Parris Island changes your life forever. No one
walks away from there the same,” he explained. “I weighed
128 pounds when I arrived. After 16 weeks of training, I
weighed 175 pounds and had put on a lot of muscle. When I
got home on leave and knocked on the door, my father
answered and said, ‘Good evening, sir, what can I do for you?’
I said, ‘Dad, it’s me! It’s Al!’ He couldn’t believe how much
bigger I was.”
One element of the heaven-made match was yet to be worked
out. After basic training, Hockaday was assigned to steward
school; he was to be trained as a cook. That prospect was
more than he could countenance. He went to the office of
Sergeant Major Huff and requested an audience.
Once face-to-face with Huff, Hockaday sounded off, “Sir,
the private does not want to be a cook. The private wants to
fight.”
“Get out of here!!!” was Huff’s response.
Hockaday bolted from his office and raced across the street,
where he remained, standing at attention, until Huff left his
office later that day. Seeing Hockaday, Huff yelled, “Private,
get over here! You’re going to the infantry. Pack your trash …
and I better not hear anything but good things about you.”
It’s a safe bet that he heard nothing but good things about
the young Marine he had rescued from the chow line.
Hockaday loved his infantry duties. He moved quickly
through the enlisted ranks, serving as a marksmanship
instructor and drill instructor before volunteering for sniper
training. “Vietnam changed the texture (of the experience)
for me and a lot of other Marines,” Hockaday stated matter-of-
factly. “In 1965, I received orders to go there with my unit.”
On Feb. 12, 1966, it was necessary to walk through a mine
field while securing an enemy prisoner. The prisoner was able
to detonate a mine. The explosion severely injured Hockaday’s
arm. “I thought my left arm was gone at first,” he continued.
“It’s funny what one thinks about at a time like that. I thought,
‘Well, at least I’ve got my right arm, and I’m right-handed.’
Our radio had been damaged. We could receive, but we
couldn’t send. I passed out from the pain at one point, but
eventually a chopper arrived and started to take us out. It was
real hot, and that’s not good for choppers. It started to shake
and vibrate, and I thought, ‘This is not going to be able to lift
out of here. It’s just not my day.’ But then it did, and that was
that.”
After rehabilitation stints in Guam and Japan, he returned
to Quantico as a drill instructor. His plans to “be a bachelor
forever” evaporated when he met his wife-to-be Ernestine in
late 1966. “She was, and is, the most interesting person I’ve
ever met. We’d have marathon talk sessions. We shared
interests in theater and dining and such.” They were married
in March 1967.
In 1970, Hockaday returned to Vietnam as a staff sergeant
and platoon sergeant, not the safest role available in that
conflict. While out on patrol on Feb. 12, 1971 – the fifth
anniversary of his wounds inflicted by a North Vietnamese mine
– Hockaday and his fellow Marines came under mortar fire.
One of his men was bogged down in a gravel pit. As Hockaday
lunged to shove the soldier free, a mortar round exploded in
close proximity, propelling shrapnel into his chest, shoulder,
both arms, and both legs.
After recuperating, Hockaday served as a drill instructor at
Officers’ Candidate School and as a physical training instructor.
He also served a tour of duty in Okinawa in 1973-74. “My
responsibilities and opportunities snowballed, but I absolutely
enjoyed my work…I absolutely enjoyed my work,” he
repeated.
In June 1974, then-Gunnery Sergeant Hockaday was
dispatched to the Institute as a member of the Naval ROTC
detachment. “I came to VMI with Col. George Holt Ripley, who
was the first professor of naval science at the Institute. There
were four of us Marines: a colonel, a captain, a lieutenant
colonel, and me. It was an exciting time, and I liked the VMI
atmosphere,” he said.
His first tour of duty at VMI ended with his promotion to
First Sergeant. In the remaining 12 years prior to his retirement
from the Corps, he was promoted to Sergeant Major and served
tours at the Marine Barracks at 8th and I in Washington, D.C.
as well as postings to Camp Pendleton, Japan, and Korea.
During those years, Lexington and VMI were never far
removed from Hockaday’s mind. “I received a letter from VMI
in 1983 or 1984 telling me that whenever I was ready to retire
from the (Marine) Corps that VMI would be glad to have me
come back. We owned a house in the D.C. area and originally
thought that’s where we’d go when I retired, but Lexington
started moving up toward the top of our list the more we
thought about it,” he explained.
In 1989, after he had announced his intention to retire from
the Marine Corps in 1990, he and his wife, who had decided
that they would come to Lexington after his retirement and
open a business, were visiting town when Hockaday
encountered then-VMI Superintendent Maj. Gen. John W. Knapp
’54 in a downtown parking lot. “He encouraged me to drop by
and see (then-Commandant) Mike Bissell ’61. I said I would,
but I was coming to Lexington to open a business, surely not
to continue wearing a uniform.”
Col. Bissell and Hockaday did meet, and Hockaday was
intrigued by Bissell’s invitation to work as a member of the
Commandant’s team. “They talked about what kind of rank I
should have: Major, Captain and so forth. I said ‘no thank you,
just let me be a Sergeant Major, that’s what I am.’ And that’s
what they did, made me Sergeant Major to the Corps of Cadets,”
he explained.
It was a role he loved. “I remembered how important it was
when I was a young man to have role models to establish high
standards and then hold me to them. I saw the importance of
standards and teamwork during my years in the Marine Corps,”
he continued. “I felt I had some valuable experiences and
lessons to share with the cadets.”
The VMI Class of 1994 displayed the Corps’ high esteem for
its Sergeant Major by voting him an honorary “Brother Rat,”
and he proudly wears the 1994 VMI class ring.
Feeling the need to devote more time to the two local
businesses which his wife and he own, Hockaday left the
Institute in the summer of 1994 to “spend the time necessary
to assist our businesses to continue their growth.”
When planning commenced for the assimilation of women
into the Corps, the Institute called on Hockaday once more.
“During the assimilation planning, I was asked if I would
consider returning as Sergeant Major to the Corps of Cadets. I
was so impressed by all the planning and thought that was
going into the process that I agreed to return,” he explained.
Hockaday returned in January 1997 and served with
distinction until the end of September 2001. What will he miss
the most? “I’ll miss talking to the cadets … talking about their
grades, their families, their hopes, their dreams … how each
of them can make the world a little better for having been
here.”
The Corps will miss Sergeant Major Hockaday, too. As was
written in the citation accompanying the Virginia Military
Institute Achievement Medal which was awarded him on the
occasion of his retirement, “Sergeant Major Hockaday has
become legendary for his booming command voice which
renders microphones redundant, his absolute insistence on
perfection in appearance and drill from all cadets and his
annual ‘Brother Rats Never Leave Brother Rats On The
Battlefield’ speech to new cadets.”
Yes, Al Hockaday has spent a lifetime demonstrating how
well he learned the lessons of the importance of setting and
achieving high standards that he was taught long ago by his
father and his high school baseball coach, Mr. Kemp.
As one cadet said recently of Hockaday, “He doesn’t set the
standard. He is the standard.”
Al Hockaday, Sergeant Major to
the VMI Corps of Cadets and VMI Legend, Retires
Sgt. Maj. Hockaday at a Review Parade held in his honor.
Page 5, The Institute Report, Matriculation Issue, October 2001
Salmon’s Class Emphasizes D-Day
Nina Salmon, an adjunct member of VMI’s English Department and an assistant professor of
English at Lynchburg College, taught her Summer Transition Program English 101 class with
an emphasis on D-Day. The idea arose after Salmon learned that the Marshall Museum had an
exhibit featuring sketches by D-Day soldier Ugo Giannini. During the program, the class saw
two films, Saving Private Ryan and The Longest Day; visited the Marshall Museum exhibit,
read selections from Stephen Ambrose; and searched and evaluated D-Day websites and pri-mary
and secondary source material. The class compared and contrasted the two films, and
students wrote on one of the genres they studied, such as film, art, or sculpture. Salmon says
that her class trip to the newly opened National D-Day Memorial in Bedford was especially
powerful. The class spoke with a volunteer from the Memorial who had been on the beach
with Operation Overlord on June 6, 1944.
Farrell Spends Summer as
Visiting Professor at Dartmouth
Brigadier General Alan Farrell spent his summer serving as
a Visiting Professor at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New
Hampshire. Farrell was invited to teach a course on récits de
guerre (French war novels), from World War I to the Algerian
Revolution. The course introduced themes and insights not
always included in traditional literary rubrics.
Farrell has served as a Master Teacher at Dartmouth for the
last twenty years teaching Advanced Language Programs
(ALPs). The ALPs are designed to provide compact and inten-sive
instruction (ten days of fourteen hours each) which stress
the rudimentary skills of language.
Farrell, for his part, was pleased with his students and his ability to communicate with them,
and was proud to “run with the big dogs.” He also commented that his “best VMI cadets can
hold their own with the best up here. And that is praise for the students at both schools, for the
decency and discipline one might not have attributed to the ones, for the wit and intellect one
is happily confirmed of in the others.” Dr. John A. Rassias, the department chairman at
Dartmouth, described Farrell’s teaching reviews as some of the highest he had ever seen.
Rassias stated, “Farrell shook the place up with a classroom presence at once animated,
erudite, intrusive…just what the doctor ordered.”
Tucker Publishes Two
New Books, One To Come
Colonel Spencer C. Tucker ’59 will have published three new books this calendar year. Two
books were just released, and a third one is about to be.
Tucker’s book Who’s Who in Twentieth-Century Warfare is one in a series of “Who’s
Who” books on literature, the arts, history and politics, religion, and
mythology, by Routledge Publishers. The book is a compilation of more
than a thousand biographical sketches on individuals of note from some
fifty different nations. Tucker covers all major conflicts of the twentieth
century, from the First World War to the Gulf War. Biographies include not
only military leaders, such as Eisenhower, Pershing, Patton, Nimitz, and
MacArthur, but also political leaders that influenced military decisions,
such as Roosevelt, Churchill, Hitler, and Stalin. Tucker also includes
designers, scientists, doctors, journalists, and inventors among those whose
lives and careers are central to the course of history.
Tucker’s other book just released is his second book in a series on
Civil War campaigns and commanders published by McWhiney
Foundation Press. The new book – Unconditional Surrender: The
Capture of Forts Henry and Donelson – the title taken from Grant’s
insistence on an “unconditional” Confederate surrender at Donelson
– studies the February 1862 capture of these forts by Union forces
under Flag Officer Andrew Foote and Brigadier General Ulysses S.
Grant. These first big Union victories made Grant a hero in the
North, leading to his rise to military prominence. Tucker recounts
these pivotal battles that gave the Union control of the Tennessee and
Cumberland Rivers, and led to the Confederate evacuation of Nashville, the first Southern
capital to fall. The battles give insight to combined arms operations, illustrating close army-navy
cooperation between like-minded commanders.
His first book in the McWhiney series was published in 1996, about the most prominent
confederate raider of the war, Raphael Semmes and the Alabama. Both books include detailed
maps, biographical sketches, photographs, bibliography, and index.
Tucker just received the Rear Admiral Ernest M. Eller Naval History Prize 2000 for “the
outstanding article on naval history in a calendar year,” given by the Naval Historical Foundation.
The award recognizes his article, “Lieutenant Andrew Hull Foote and the Suppression of the
African Slave Trade,” published in the American Neptune. Tucker’s book about Foote – Andrew
Hull Foote, Civil War Admiral on Western Waters, Naval Institute Press, 2000 – received this
year’s John Lyman Book Award, given by the North American Society for Oceanic History.
Tucker’s sixteenth book, A Short History of the Civil War at Sea, should be released soon.
Colonel Tucker holds the John Biggs ’30 Cincinnati Chair in Military History at VMI.
Koons Discusses New Book
In August, Colonel Kenneth E. Koons appeared on a WVPT public
affairs television program called Consider This, to discuss After the
Backcountry: Rural Life in the Great Valley of Virginia, 1800-1900,
a book he edited (with Warren R. Hofstra) and which was published
recently by the University of Tennessee Press. Also, an essay of his
entitled “The Colored Laborers Work as Well as When Slaves: African
Americans in the Breadbasket of the Confederacy, 1850-1880”, ap-peared
this summer in Archaeological Perspectives on the American
Civil War, a collection of essays edited by Clarence R. Geier and Stephen R. Potter,
and published by the University Press of Florida.
Re-engineering shapely green soft drink
bottle recognized around the world
Major Matthew R. Hyre, assistant professor of mechanical
engineering, will lead a VMI research project to engineer a
new Coca-Cola™ bottle, with one major constraint: no change
to its century-old shape. But, there will be a new size and
changes to glass properties. VMI was awarded the project by
Emhart Glass Research, where Hyre was a senior physicist three
years before coming to VMI this fall.
It’s a real-world project whose time has come. Glass con-tainers
have been in production for decades, but changes to
the manufacturing process have been made by experiments in
trial and error. Now, computers are high tech enough to run
complex and lengthy numeric models to simulate the forma-
Articles by Sadler Published
Colonel Woodson A. “Woody” Sadler, Jr. ’66 USMC (retired),
Instructor of Mechanical Engineering, has published two recent
articles in the Marine Corps Gazette. “Caesar: The Move, Shoot,
and Scoot Artillery System for the 21st Century,” appeared in the
December 2000 issue, while “The Need for Mobile Artillery In
Support of Urban Operations,” co-authored by Lt. Col. Michael
R. Janay, appeared in the August 2001 issue. A former artillery
officer, Col. Sadler teaches computer drafting on a part-time
basis for the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
Continued on page 6
Maj. Matthew R. Hyre
Engineering Departments Plan for External Review
A grant of $50,000 from the Jackson Hope Fund will, in part, fund site visits and external reviews of VMI’s three engineering
programs, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Electrical and Computer Engineering, with an eye
toward refining their existing strategic plans to achieve national recognition.
The first review, fall 2001, has been scheduled for 9 – 11 December 2001.
The reviewers have been selected from faculty at schools that have developed a reputation for excellence, from which VMI
can model. They include Dr. Robert Mattauch, Department Chair and Dean of Engineering, VCU; Dr. James G. Orbison, CE
reviewer and Interim Dean of Engineering at Bucknell; Dr. (Colonel) Kip P. Nygren, ME reviewer and Head of CE and ME,
United States Military Academy; and Dr. John A. Orr, ECE reviewer and Head of ECE, Worcester Polytechnic Institute,
Massachusetts.
Brig. Gen. Alan F. Farrell
Book by Duncan Published
Colonel Floyd Duncan ’64, professor of economics, recently published
The Utopian Prince: Robert Owen and the Search for Millennium, a
biographical novel based on the life of one of history’s industrial giants
and noble humanitarians. Owen, who was born in Wales and lived much
of his life in Scotland at the height of the Industrial Revolution, dedi-cated
himself to the ideal that “profit and humanity were compatible.”
According to Col. Duncan, “During a time when most industrialists
considered human beings as little more than fodder for their powerful
machinery, Owen eliminated child labor, reduced working hours, and
made his factories safe, healthy, and clean places to work.” Information about the book is
available through Col. Duncan’s web site, http://www. floydduncan.com/utopianprince.
Col. Woodson A. Sadler, Jr. ’66
Page 6, The Institute Report, Matriculation Issue, October 2001
One wonders if retired Lebanon High School freshman
Honors English teacher Helen Gilmer realizes she unleashed
such a contemporary Renaissance man.
“She (Gilmer) flipped the switch for me,” confessed first
classman Jason Breeding. “Her enthusiasm and her teaching
method were infectious. She was able to impart so much
information and push us to work hard. I’ve never forgotten a
piece of advice she gave me: ‘Take on as many things as you
possibly can.’ I’m glad I’ve taken that advice.”
Breeding graduated from Lebanon High School, located in
Russell County in Southwest Virginia, as salutatorian of the
class of 1998. He served as president of his class and as an
officer in the National Honor Society. He was co-editor-in-chief
of the school’s yearbook and played in the high school band.
His parents sparked his interest in learning early on, and
Jason began reading the daily newspaper when he was 4. “As
far back as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to know about
things. I want to know how they work and why,” the affable
Breeding admitted.
Breeding first visited the Institute during his sophomore year
in high school. He had already developed a deep interest in
chemistry, particularly its analytical applications as in the field
of forensic science. He heard more about VMI from Anthony
Gray ’96, a fellow graduate of Lebanon High. “I liked the size
of the school, the excellent student-faculty ratio, and was very
impressed by the chemistry department,” Breeding explained.
To make certain, he visited five different open houses at VMI.
“On one of those open house visits, I was walking through
Limits Gate, and I just felt a sense of relief, like a presence. I
knew then VMI was the place for me. I knew then that this was
the place where I was going to attend college,” he continued.
He interviewed for and was awarded a prestigious Institute
Merit Scholarship in January 1998. “My parents and I stayed
for a basketball game against The Citadel the evening of the
interview. Lt. Col. (Thomas) Mortenson (associate director of
admissions) came over during the game and told us I had
been awarded one of the scholarships, and I about choked on
the hot dog I was eating,” he recalled.
Col. George Piegari, professor of mathematics and computer
science, echoed Breeding’s self-assessment, “Jason is a very
bright young man. It is fun to teach a student who is full of as
much curiosity as he,” Piegari said. “His attentiveness and
eagerness to learn are such a gift.”
Breeding’s inclination for wide-ranging personal involvement
and service, both in the academic and extra-curricular realms,
has continued to evolve at the Institute. He is majoring in
chemistry while also pursuing minors in business/economics
and mathematics.
Although he attended the Summer Transition Program prior
to his Rat year, the Rat Line presented Breeding with new
challenges. “Unlike before, I couldn’t think for myself. My
independence was certainly constrained by the Rat Line. It
humbled me a lot. But it helped a lot, too. For example, I was
a really soft 195 pounds when I arrived in August. By mid-
October, I was a pretty trim 155 pounds. My dyke, J.P. O’Dell,
III ’99 was tremendous.”
Breeding put the time management and study skills lessons
learned at Lebanon to good use during his Rat year. At year’s
end, he was elected to Phi Eta Sigma, a national honorary
academic fraternity for college freshman. He also received
additional scholarship aid from the Masonic organization for
having the highest academic average of any returning third
classman. “That was a nice honor and a boost for my self-esteem,
but I can’t say I was obsessed by academics. I was
involved with lots of other things, too,” said Breeding.
Indeed.
He was an active member of the American Chemical Society
(ACS), the Timmins-Gentry Music Society, and the Pipe and
Drum Band. As a first classman, he is co-president of the Post
ACS chapter and president of the Timmins-Gentry Society. He
also serves as secretary of the General Committee. Additionally,
he is Editor-in-Chief of the 2002 Bomb. During portions of his
second and third class years, he served as a committee of one
charged with the responsibility of securing Ring Figure
uniforms for his Brother Rats. As a second classman, he worked
closely with the admissions department’s Open House program.
He has earned his Academic Stars. After his third class year,
he was awarded a Phi Eta Sigma Scholarship, which honored
both his academic achievement and community service. He
was inducted into Phi Kappa Phi academic honor society and
the Marshall Table. He was also awarded the Leslie German
Award for Analytic Chemistry. At the conclusion of his second
class year, Jason was appointed regimental S-5 lieutenant with
primary responsibility for open house programs, high school
recruiting and alumni functions.
During the summers following his third and second class
years, he worked closely with Maj. Judith Cain, assistant
professor of chemistry, on a research project. “Jason has been
synthesizing very large molecules (polymers) that, given the
right conditions, behave like soap molecules. We know that
soap molecules aggregate together in groups called micelles
and that the individual molecules move in and out of micelles
very rapidly. Until recently, it was believed that the polymer
based molecules behaved the same way,” explained Maj. Cain.
“Some current researchers, however, have shown that this
may not always be the case. So, in addition to synthesizing
these molecules, Jason is trying to characterize how fast the
polymer molecules move into and out of their micelles by a
technique called Nuclear Magnetic Resonance,” she continued.
Breeding attended the Southeast Regional American
Chemistry Society Conference in Savannah, Ga. in September
2001. “I presented my research there among various other
college students. It was interesting to see that there were others
as interested in research as I,” he explained.
At the conclusion of his second class year, Jason was one of
two cadet recipients of the Francis H. Smith Award, which is
given to rising first classmen who have “exhibited outstanding
academic achievement, extracurricular participation,
leadership ability, and demonstrated potential for a professional
career.” This unique award is not necessarily awarded on an
annual basis, but, rather, only when rising first classmen are
deemed worthy.
“Jason is another remarkable example of what seems to
be the prototypical cadet from Southwest Virginia,” observed
Col. Steve Riethmiller ’63, professor of chemistry. “I don’t
know exactly what that phenomenon is, but there have been
a large number of cadets from that area of the state who
have been uniquely suited for VMI. Jason is cut from the
same mold. He has a great work ethic. He is non-pretentious
and unfailingly polite. He seems to know everyone on Post
and always knows everything that’s going on, and I say that
in a positive manner.”
Affectionately known as “Bluebook” Breeding by many
members of the Corps for his encyclopedic knowledge of VMI’s
book of regulations, Jason openly admits “I’m one of those
corny guys who loves VMI no matter how much it gets to me.”
He has accumulated an impressive collection of old VMI
Bombs, class rings, uniforms, coatees, hat brass, and Rat
Bibles. “I’m the guy on eBay buying all the old VMI stuff,” he
added with a chuckle.
Jason and his high school sweetheart, Amberlea Horn, to
whom he proposed during the 2000 Ring Figure Dance, plan
to be married next summer. What next? Appropriately, Breeding
is still mulling his options. “I know I want to attend graduate
school, but I’m still deciding whether I will pursue a Ph.D. in
chemistry with the hopes of becoming an FBI agent working
in forensic science or whether I will go to medical school with
the goal of becoming a pediatrician.” He also holds a future
goal of returning to VMI and teaching several years hence.
Wherever Breeding goes from VMI, one can be assured,
he’ll continue to follow Ms. Gilmer’s admonition and take on
as many things as he possibly can.
Breeding Follows Advice of High School Teacher
First Classman
Jason Breeding
tion of glass after leaving the furnace, as “the gob” passes from the forehearth, through the
gob feeder, and to the forming machine.
Few have the requisite math skills to develop such numeric models. Hyre does. He helped
Emhart be the first to develop similar models capable of predicting bottle formation success-fully,
and garnered seven patents in the process. The Emhart models were used subsequently
to develop the equipment and technology for glass manufacturing around the world, from
Gallo in California, Saint-Gobain/France, Rexam/England, and glass companies in Russia, Ja-pan,
Germany, to name a few.
For the VMI project, Hyre will develop a model capable of simulating bottle formations
varied by consumer preferences and environmental circumstances that differ across global
markets.
Colonel Timothy M. Hodges ’80, professor and department head of mechanical engineer-ing,
will perform stress analyses on the glass, to develop simulation strategies for predicting
the strength of the glass bottle once it is formed.
When the simulation model is up and running, first and second class ME majors will con-duct
the testing experiments to verify the stress of the forming models by assessing the physical
properties – thickness, stress distribution, and strength – compared to predicted outcomes.
The simulation model can be widely used to test material specs, to reduce the cost and
quantity of glass required to form bottles, or control the forming process when there are
changes to glass properties due to variations in material needs or environmental conditions.
Ultimately, the models can be used to modify existing manufacturing processes, help set up
equipment and technology for new containers, or open new markets by providing “turn-key”
production technology. The revenue potential is substantial, but that is not Hyre’s dream.
He left Emhart because he wanted to return to academics, where he could interact with like-minded
colleagues, and students. Before Emhart, he taught mechanical engineering at
LeTourneau University in Texas.
After talking with several ME departments at other colleges and universities, Hyre said “VMI
has a great ME faculty, and they are genuinely concerned about what the students learn, which
is not always the case,” especially true at universities where research is big business, and the
business gets top priority. For their part, the ME faculty liked Hyre’s research potential.
But Hyre liked VMI “best of all,” and the ME faculty is especially pleased. “Major Hyre came
here running, and he brought new dynamics to the ME program,” a program with a strong
track record, now approaching 20 years, said Hodges,
Hyre identifies well with cadets, having graduated from West Point, a Distinguished Cadet, in
the top 5% of his class all four years, with a double major in Mechanical Engineering and
Nuclear Physics. He received the Academy’s Sewell Tappan Tyng Award for the highest rating
in Nuclear Engineering, and the General Clifton Carroll Carter Award for outstanding achieve-ment
in Engineering Mechanics. He wants to challenge students to success. “VMI cadets are
great, willing to take a shot at what I ask of them,” and he looks forward to their involvement
in this research project.
Hyre earned a master’s in Mechanical Engineering from Villanova, and a doctorate in ME
with a minor in Economics from MIT.
His dream? “To develop a numerical and experimental glass research center at VMI,” he
says, and Emhart Glass Research is supporting this dream, having made an agreement that
continues into the foreseeable future. Hyre wants to team up with the Chemistry Department,
where Colonel Schreiber has research interests in glass chemistry and is developing a cross-curriculum
chemistry course geared to engineering majors.
“But first,” he said, “I have teaching to do.”
Re-Engineering Project
Continued from page 5
Page 7, The Institute Report, Matriculation Issue, October 2001
Calendar of Events
Tuesday, October 23
Publications Board meeting.
8 p.m. Concert - Garth Newel Chamber Players, J.M. Hall.
Wednesday, October 24
11 a.m. Lecture, Dr. Balint Vazsonyi, J.M. Hall. See page 2.
Friday, October 26
4:30 p.m. Review honoring Mrs. Jordan Saunders, Parade
Ground.
Fall Hops.
Saturday, October 27
FE Exam, Lejeune Hall.
2 p.m. Football @ Western Carolina.
Fall Hops.
Sunday, October 28
Daylight Savings Time ends.
Monday, October 29
Bloodmobile.
Tuesday, October 30
Bloodmobile.
Wednesday, October 31
Bloodmobile.
2 p.m. Academic Board meeting.
Friday, November 2
1:30 p.m. Ring Presentation Ceremony.
8 p.m. Ring Figure, Cocke Hall.
Saturday, November 3
10:30 a.m. Ring Figure Review, Parade Ground.
1 p.m. Football vs. App. State, Alumni Memorial Field.
Monday, November 5
VFT testing.
Tuesday, November 6: Election Day
VFT Testing.
Wednesday, November 7
VFT testing.
Thursday, November 8
VFT testing.
Navy/MC Birthday Ball.
Friday, November 9
VFT testing.
ASCE meeting.
Saturday, November 10
2 p.m. Football @ The Citadel.
Monday, November 12: Founders Day
Third Grading Period ends.
1 p.m. Founders Day Convocation, Cameron Hall.
3 p.m. Founders Day Parade.
Foundation Board meeting.
6:30 p.m. Institute Society dinner (by invitation).
Tuesday, November 13
Foundation Board meeting.
Wednesday, November 14
Monday classes meet.
Friday, November 16: Admissions Open House.
9 a.m. 3rd period grades to Registrar (new cadets only).
7 p.m. Basketball vs. Mary Washington
Winter Hop.
Saturday, November 17: Admissions Open House
3rd demerit period ends.
1 p.m. Football vs. Samford.
Thanksgiving furlough begins (end of football
game).
1981 Football team reunion.
Thursday, November 22: Thanksgiving Day
Monday, November 26
10 p.m. Thanksgiving furlough ends.
Tuesday, November 27
Publications Board meeting.
Wednesday, November 28
2 p.m. Academic Board meeting, Smith Hall.
Basketball @ Morehead St.
Friday, November 30
4:30 p.m. Review, Parade Ground
Tolley Receives VCCO Accreditation
Congratulations to B&G’s Brownlee Tolley, VMI’s Assistant Director for Capital Outlay, who
was recently accredited as a Virginia Construction Contracting Officer (VCCO) by the
Commonwealth’s Bureau of Capital Outlay Management.
Tolley, who joined the Institute in his present role in 1991, is primarily responsible for the
inspection and administration of the Institute’s capital outlay projects. His VCCO designation
will expedite the process of awarding construction contracts for Institute projects as it allows
the Rockbridge County native to represent VMI and the Commonwealth in signing capital
outlay forms necessary to award a construction contract. It also eliminates the need for a state
official’s presence when bids relative to construction and capital outlay are received and opened,
which should expedite the bid awarding process.
Prior to joining the Institute staff, Tolley served as general manager of the Natural Bridge of
Virginia from 1981 until 1991 after having served as manager of the Natural Bridge Hotel from
1976 until 1981. A talented musician who plays multiple instruments, Tolley has spent much
of his spare time during the past four decades playing with Donnie Cash and the Flames, a
local variety band that covers all musical styles and eras. His wife Gayle is a member of the
Human Resources staff at VMI.
Colonel Keith Gibson ’77, Director of VMI’s Museum Programs, talks about Thomas
Jonathan “Stonewall” Jackson’s coat with (left to right) Mrs. Haike M. Giragosian, past
president of the Virginia Division, United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) and
honorary president of general UDC; Mrs. John H. Gum, past president of Virginia Divi-sion
UDC and reporter general of Military Service Awards; Mrs. David S. Whitacre,
immediate past division president; and Mrs. John W. Lougheed, president of the Vir-ginia
Division UDC. The UDC representatives presented Col. Gibson with a check on
October 12 to complete fund-raising efforts for restoration of the coat. The coat is
about to be restored due to donations from the Virginia Division of the UDC totalling
over $7,000. The blue frock coat is the one Jackson wore during the Civil War Battle of
First Manassas, the battle where he got the nickname “Stonewall.”
The Virginia Association of Local Elected Constitutional Officers represents city and county
Clerks of the Circuit Court, Commissioners of Revenue, Commonwealth’s Attorneys, Sheriffs,
and Treasurers across Virginia. Each of these constitutional offices is specially established by
the Constitution of Virginia, and, in most localities in Virginia, constitutional officers are elected
by the citizens.
Norment, the Senate Majority Floor Leader, is currently serving his third term in the Virginia
Senate. Norment sits on the Senate Committees of Finance, Commerce and Labor, Courts of
Justice, Privileges and Elections, and Rules. Norment is a partner in the law firm of Kaufman &
Canoles. A 1968 VMI graduate, Norment is a staunch supporter of the Institute in Richmond
and a key ally of higher education in the Commonwealth.
“We’re delighted that one of our own, Senator Tommy Norment, has been selected for such
a prestigious honor,” said VMI Superintendent Major General Josiah Bunting III. “Tommy
follows in the footsteps of VMI men like Elmon Gray ’46 in maintaining a tradition of outstand-ing
service to the Commonwealth of Virginia.”
Norment
Continued from page 2
Ring Figure activities
begin Friday, November 2
for VMI’s Class of 2003.
Linebacker Derik Screen ’04 traps a Chattanooga ball carrier behind the line of
scrimmage in VMI’s win over the “Mocs” on October 13. For his efforts in that victory
Screen was named Southern Conference Athlete of the Week. Also receiving honors so
far this year were: Rat wide receiver Titus Green, SoCon Freshman of the Week, October
1; and soccer goal keeper John Simmons ’02, Athlete of the Week, October 16.
Page 8, The Institute Report, Matriculation Issue, October 2001
“In life there are so many blessings that come my way. I’ll not let them pass me by,” said
Institute second classman Michael Lokale, his elegant voice tinged with the accents of the
Swahili language and tribal languages, Turkana and Kalenjin, of his Kenyan homeland.
Lokale, the second of five children and eldest son of poor corn farmers living in Eldoret,
Kenya, was inspired from an early age by the accomplishments of his cousin, Paul Ereng.
Combining academic and athletic excellence, Ereng earned an athletic scholarship from the
University of Virginia, where he excelled in track. In 1988, he won the gold medal for Kenya in
the 800-meter run in the Seoul, Korea Summer Olympics.
“Paul is my great role model,” explained Lokale recently. “His father died when he was
young, and his situation was even poorer than my own. But his mother is a strong woman, and
Paul realized that education and running could be a way to change his life. I’ve paid attention
to his example.”
The soft-spoken cadet ran two miles, one-way, to his primary school four times a day: before
school, before lunch, after lunch, and after school. “Others would choose to stay home
sometimes, but school always mattered to me. I liked it.” The articulate Kenyan applied and
was accepted to the Starehe Boys Center and School, a secondary boarding school for
disadvantaged young men.
At Starehe, his academic and athletic prowess continued to blossom. Determined to follow
in his cousin’s footsteps, he worked hard in the classroom and on the track. “I was fortunate
to go to the best high school in Kenya. We were taught great study skills. When one does
something every day, one gets used to it.
“I was not big enough to play soccer, so I concentrated on running. In Kenya, those who run
do so because they have the desire to achieve something,” he explained. By his junior year,
Lokale was beating all his high school competition in the 400 and 800 meter events.
He already knew that he wanted to study medicine and become a doctor. “Having been
brought up in a lower-class (economically) family, we lacked medical services. There are very
few doctors in Africa, and even fewer available to treat the poor. Someday I would like to
return to my country and try to help with that problem. I believe that would be a noble
undertaking,” said Lokale.
With just five universities in Kenya, competition is great for admission. While American
collegians choose their majors, Kenyan college students are assigned majors. Lokale was
accepted to a university, but was assigned to be an economics major. He looked to the United
States for opportunities to pursue his dreams of medical study.
Enter VMI and its head track and cross country coach Brigadier General Michael Bozeman,
USAR. Bozeman had written Lokale after hearing of his running prowess from a fellow coach.
After Lokale echoed the Institute’s interest, Bozeman went to Kenya to meet Lokale and watch
him run. The duo ended up dining with
Kenya’s most storied athlete, Kip Keino.
“That was amazing that an ordinary boy
like me could have dinner with a legend
like Kip Keino,” Lokale observed.
Bozeman was awed. “Having dinner
with Kip Keino was very exciting; it was
absolutely neat.” Lokale’s arrival at the
Institute was delayed a year by the
bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Kenya,
but Lokale’s intentions to attend VMI
never swayed.
“Michael has fit the situation about
as well as anyone we’ve ever had,”
Bozeman commented. “He has made
a commitment to make the very best of
the VMI experience. He has earned
academic stars while majoring in
biology and studied at Oxford last
summer. He is a respectable cross
country runner, and he’s a conference
champion in his specialty, the middle
distance events. He is a joy to coach because he does all he can to reach his potential.”
Lokale took a break from his biology major to study Elizabethan English and history at
Oxford last summer under the auspices of the Virginia Program at Oxford. Program director
and professor of history Col. Thomas W. Davis ’64 said, “Michael was a real star at Oxford last
summer. He always had his weekly paper, which was due on Friday, done by Tuesday, which
gave him additional time to revise and edit. Other students enjoyed his company, and his tutors
wrote very flattering comments about his academic performance.”
Peggy Riethmiller, with whose family he stayed between the end of his Summer Transition
Program and the beginning of his Rat year, raved with enthusiasm when asked about Lokale,
“What a lovely person Michael is. He was visiting with us during Christmas one year. We all
went to a church service together, and we sang ‘Go Tell It On The Mountain.’ He told us that he
and his track teammates in Kenya sang that song on the bus when they were returning victorious
from a meet.”
Lokale’s is the kind of story that one wants to go tell on the mountain … and everywhere.
Second Classman Lokale Enjoys Life’s Blessings
Lokale competing in VMI Invitational.
VMI Cross Country 2001-2002 Outlook
To replace the most successful athlete on your team is always a daunting task. To do so with
two teams can be even more challenging.
Such is the case of VMI’s cross country program, directed by Brig. Gen. Mike Bozeman,
USAR, and assisted by John Crawford. This season, they are depending on youth and enthusi-asm
on the men’s and women’s teams to replace the experience of the teams of a season ago.
The women’s team had to replace probably the most successful female athlete in the history
of the school — Rachel Love, who Crawford said was the “heart and soul of the team” for four
years.
One possible successor is sophomore Malgosia Wiesak (Richmond, Va.), who was VMI’s
highest finisher at the Southern Conference Championships last season, finishing in 24th place.
Unfortunately, Wiesak has been slowed from knee tendonitis and was sidelined in the first two
meets. At the Keydet Invitational, junior Alia Hamad (Alexandria, Va.) paced the Keydets by
finishing in 32nd place with a time of 18:38.01, competing on the 4,000-meter course. Sopho-more
Mariah Green (Roanoke, Va.) and senior captain Jackie Tugman (Virginia Beach, Va.)
add depth and experience as possible solutions to the void left by Love. “If the experience of
the upperclassmen comes through and they stay healthy, the team will be successful at the
Conference Championships,” said Bozeman.
Another runner that the coaching staff is excited about is Rat Emily Naslund (Bloomington,
Minn.), who was VMI’s top finisher in the first race of the season against Cincinnati on August
31. Sophomore Karen Wheeler (Buckingham, Va.) as well as Rats Laura Mack (State College,
Pa.), Vali Storga (El Paso, Texas), Pamela Reeves (Newport News, Va.), and Rita Lewis (Hamp-ton,
Va.) will also contribute from the younger half of the team. “Healthy performances from
these women could move them up a notch in the always competitive women’s Southern Con-ference
Championship race,” said Crawford.
The men’s team’s equivalent to Love was without a doubt Joe Smith, who was twice named
Southern Conference runner of the week in 2000 and placed third at the Southern Conference
Championships, leading the team to a fifth place finish.
Smith’s departure left the team with no seniors and just one junior: Michael Lokale (Eldoret,
Kenya). Only sophomore Ryan Walker (Chester, Va.) returned as one of VMI’s top five runners
last season, finishing 29th at the conference meet.
To accompany Lokale and Walker, the coaches have looked to sophomore Sean McElroy
(San Diego, Calif.), who was VMI’s top finisher at the Keydet Invitational (13th) after red-shirting
his Rat season. “As a group, Walker, Lokale, and McElroy have made a commitment to
approach the times that Smith turned in last season,” said Crawford. Ironically thus far, the
three have been running similar times as they all finished within eight seconds of each other at
the Keydet Invitational.
Sophomore Mark Hamilton (Nokesville, Va.) has also shown great improvement since last
season and is being looked on for significant contributions in 2001. He compliments a group
of freshmen that includes Ryan Anderson (Virginia Beach, Va.), Ryan Carroll (Richmond,
Va.), Felix Guerra (Brenhan, Texas), Tom Hardinge (Hagerstown, Md.), and Nicholas Battle
(Saline, Mich.), each of which has contributed to the success of the squad. “The men’s team
will have to rely on these freshmen to succeed at the conference meet,” said Bozeman.
“This is a very cohesive group, which sets it apart from last season’s team,” said Crawford.
“It excites me to know that this group will grow in the future.”
Both teams will have the opportunity to learn more about themselves on October 27, when
they compete at the Southern Conference Championships in Charleston, S.C.
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