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f R h S IU N L iU R M f r CJF 5 \ l-’L VMi'‘Sentinel" r o R i ^ j» B d t w r e e n l i i q | |M d a i l l t t n l p l a c e H um o r 1 ... M a n l l G r a s ' T o p ^ T M " VOLUIVIE XC tEhc Caitrt Friday, 20 February 1998 ron^u^ gtunes m $ 1 . 0 0 Number 17 Southern Military Eyes Texas Campus News Briefs World Annan Leaves For Iraq UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan leaves for Baghdad today on what he’s conceded is a “last hope” mission to avert U.S.-led military strikes against Iraq. Annan is due in Baghdad tomorrow after flying to Paris, where he holds talks with French P re s id en t Ja cq u e s Chirac. Annan is due back in time to br ief the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday. A n n a n ’s m is s io n comes against the background o f a U.S. naval, air and troop buildup in the Gulf, poised to strike if Iraqi President Saddam Hussein persists in denying U.N. arms inspectors free access to “presidential and sovereign sites.” Reinforcements Arrive in Kuwait KUWAIT (Reuters) - U!S. troop reinforcements began arriving in Kuwait today to shore up American military power in the Gulf in a confrontation with Iraq over weapons inspections. Witnesses say a first planeload o f several hundred o f the total 6,000 U.S. Army a rmo red an d h e l ic o p te r troops expected in Kuwait landed at the international airport, and the soldiers filed into buses. Diplomats say they expect it will take 72 hours for all the troops to arrive and a day or two more for them all to draw equipment stored in the small G ulf state and deploy in the desert. National Air Force bomber crashes inK y . MARION, Ky. - AH fo u r crew members o f a Bl -B bomber that crashed in western Kentucky Wednesday afternoon are alive according to state police. The aircraft was flying out o f Dyess Air Force Base near Abilene, Texas, when it went down in a rural section northeast o f Marion. The bomber was not one o f the additional warplanes being dispatched to the Persian Gulf, Air Force officials said. AAA seeks to diffuse road rage WASHINGTON - The American Automobile Association says it’s time for change in attitude behind the wheel. The AAA announced a campaign Wednesday aimed at quelling the anger o f aggressive drivers, who often provoke or commit violence on the road. According to the association, the number o f accidents and deaths resulting from “road rage” is on the rise, and drivers need to take a deep breath and relax before hitting the streets. Lawyer: No ‘hard evidence’ in bombing BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Investigators have no hard evidence againstthe man being sought in the fatal bombing o f an Alabama abort io n c l in ic , a law y e r fo r the suspect’s family said Wednesday. AttomeyJames Bell says he’s skeptical that federal agents’ evidence against Eric Robert Rudolph links him to the Jan. 29 bombing that killed a guard and injured a nurse at the Birmingham clinic. Suspects are currently being investigated and. pursued for possible links to this bombing. News briefs are compiled from the USA Today web site. Addressing the Educational Dilemma: Dr. Sommers on Morality TabHha Stump News Writer D o c to r C h r i s t in a H o f f Sommers, professor o f philosophy at Clark University, was the guest speaker during Tuesday’s Commandants Training Time. Since 1980 she has specialized in ethics and contemporary moral theory. She is also the author o f the recently published book. Who Stole Feminism. How women have betraved women. The two main points o f Dr. Sommers' speech were focused on the problems with today’s educational system. Her first m ain point was on the importance o f moral literacy. “Students today have a problem when knowing the philosophical and literary ideas at the foundatio n o f o u r d em o c r a c y ,” s a id Sommers. Second, she pointed out that there is a lack o f moral confidence among students. Sommers stated, “ In public schools, there is a failure to pass along its traditions and heritage to students.” She then added that i f students would be taught about the rich heritage and traditions o f our country, students would be more willing to appreciate and defend their country. Dr. S omme rs w a n te d th e Corps to know that as societies future leaders, it would b« up tothem-to change the direction on which America’s youth are going down. The children that are in grade school now and in the upcoming years will be our generation’s leaders and it is our responsibility to teach them. When asked about the assimilation o f VMI, Dr. Sommers said she feels that she has a three-sided dilemma with the decision. First o f Dr. Sommers spoke to the VMI corps o f cadets in JM Hall on Tuesday. all, she was very sad to hear about the admittance o f women to an institution that takes so much pride in the fact it has preserved i t ’s southern heritage by staying all male. At the same time, however, she believes that it has opened up so many doors to women and has p rovided so many o f them with equal opportunity. She also believes that there are differences between-mea-aad.women-aiid single sex education can be a benefit to those differences. Cadet Will Sarsfi’eld said after hearing Dr. Sonuner’s speech that Dr. Sommers refreshed the Corps with her peacefiil delivery o f a strong message. “ She was not a ‘today’s kind o f militant feminist, but more o f a feminist o f the old school,” he said. Sarsfield adds. She really got me to listen up and pay attention.” He believes her message was applicable to everyone, not ju s t to men or women, in the audience. “ She made us take a time out and helped us to see were society is headed,” said Cadet Je f f Snyder. “ It r e a l ly m o t iv a te d me w h e n she pointed out that there was nothing wrong with some people having tra- —diUooal.gea4er loles,- Some women want to be housewives and some men want to be mechanics, and that’s okay,” Snyder said. Dr. Sommers is currently working on a book titled The War Apair Bovs. In this book she will address how it is boys, not girls, which are being academically short changed and drained o f self-esteem in today’s society. Private all-male military college hopes to open its doors in fall of 1998 DaieDuriach VMI Quad A Society Contingent Observes Space Shuttle Launch J. Lamb Guest Writar The Quad A had a trip to Cape Kennedy, FL from 22 Jan to 24 Jan. Seventeen cadets . Six VWIL and eleven VMI cadets, attended the trip. On Jan the cadets saw the Shuttle Endeavour lift off. The Space shuttle Endeavour will conduct the eighth o f nine dockings o f a U.S. spacecraft with the Russian Mir space station. After docking is completed, Andrew S.W. Thomas, the seventh and last U.S. a s t ro n a u t to liv e and work aboard the Russian space platform, will transfer from Endeavour to become a member o f the Mir 24 crew for approximately four months. Thomas will replace Dr. David A. Wolf, who boarded Mir during the STS-86 mission in September. Wolf will return to Earth aboard Endeavour.. In addition to the crew transfer during docking operations, the seven-member crew will move tons o f science and logistical materials as well as supplies between the two spacecraft, including water from the o rb ite r ’s fuel cells for use on Mir. Science investigations that are concerned with crew health and safety aboard Mir and technical applications for the International Space Station will be also conducted during this time. On Sat 24 Jan the shuttle reached the Mir space station The next day, following the shuttle launch, the cadets went to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex where they met with Lt. Col. Forrestor, Lt. Col. Forrestor is a qualified astronaut who is currently in a support role for the astronauts until he is able to go into space. He talked about the various topics, such as, astronaut training. Endeavour’s mission, and what it takes to become an astronaut. The cadets were able to ask questions. After the briefing the cadets were o f f to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. They were shown a 3-D movie in the theater that took place in the ftiture about a civilization that lived on a space station. After that they saw a reenactment o f the final minutes o f an actual space mission from a replica o f the actual control room. Elsewhere in the Complex there were replicas o f the Apollo and Saturn V rockets. From here they shuttled to the International Space Station Center. After a brief film they toured the several incredibly detailed full-scale mockups o f space station modules. These mockups are identical to the ones that will be used on the space station. The cadets then went to a viewing gallery that actually looks into the bay where eoch space station module is checked out, processed and readied for its trip into orbit. Using another shuttle the cadets traveled to the sixty-foot observation gantry located in the heart o f Launch Complex 39. From here the Cape Kennedy can be viewed. On Saturday, the clan headed back to Virginia. One thing that will be taken from this trip is the space shuttle liftoff. A shuttle liftoff is a spectacular event. The shuttle lit up the night sky with its bright flame. After about 10 seconds a rumbling come across the water as the sound o f the liftoff makes its way to the spectators who are more than 10 miles away. Colonel Bissell led the VMI contingent o f the Quad A Convention. Commissioning up from 1997 CoUnlMahle Guest Writer There has been a 24 percent total increase o f commissioning iiom last year thanks to VMI's decision to feed and house its potential officers. The Army department hais seen the largest increase, growing from 22 in 1997 to 42 in 1998. Professor o f Military Science, U.S. Army Colonel William Chalkley accounted for the increase by explaining that four-year ROTC scholarship winners from the class o f 1998 were the first that VMI offered room and board. Chalkley said he suspects that many o f the winners before 1998 took their scholarships to Texas A&M, Norwich, and other schools that offered room and board. Cadet John Downs from Gallatin, Tennessee agreed, "This is probably the best deal if you have an ROTC scholarship. Here you get the benefit o f having [room and board] paid for." The Novy and Marine Corps together added 7 commissions to their total. These two departments, typically the smallest, can also credit their growth to the new room and board. The Air Force decreased from 25 to 19. United States Air Force Captain Tim Lewallen, Conunandant o f Cadets for the Aeronautical Studies Department blamed the Air Force's drop on the "different interests" o f the cadets. He also sajd, "We are trying to do a better job about getting information to cadets early." An Air Force Department survey earlier this year revealed cadets were uninterested because of a lack of knowledge about the Air Force program. Mary Sihnan, a third-class Air Force student said the decreases may be due to career factors. " They want to fly, and tlien they fmd out how hard it is to get a pilot spot." News Editor A group o f VMI alumni have decided to lay the foundations for an all-male private military school. The school. Southern Military Institute (SMI), will adopt the encompassing rituals that once took place at VMI. The school will be an engineering and science institution focusing on the foundations o f Christianity and ethics while retaining the same m ilitary traditions o f VMI and the Citadel. The board members to represent the school have been elected and this group officially founded the Institution on 20 August 1997 in the state o f A la b am a . T h is group, composed o f an elected president, his directors, and adv iso ry b o a rd members, will dec ide in th e c om in g w e e k s whether o r not to buy a campus situated in Big Sandy. I f the Institute should proceed with buying this campus, a spokeswoman said that they would enroll their first class this fall. The only obstacle to th i s p ro p o s i t io n w o u ld be the $250,000 needed in the next couple o f weeks to cover the closing costs. To accomplish this task, the South- ' em Military Institute will run advertisements seeking donations in various newspapers and magazines designed to reach out to VMI and Citadel alumni sympathetic to their cause. In terms o f academics, the institute will be composed primarily o f engineering and science courses. It will also provide cadets with a solid background in Western Civilization, Amer ic an Politics , Constitutional Studies, and Military History. The In s ti tu te envis ions s taying small, around 1200 cadets, and offering a limited number o f degrees so that, in their view, “the highest-quality education for many young men is best achieved.” As a privately fiinded Institution, SMI also believes that the men who compose this school should have a firm background in Judeo-tion placed on the Christian faith. SMI, as a military school, will incorporate training equal to traditional ROTC programs as seen at VMI. The military courses and training will be comparable to those used at the Staf f Officer Courses o f the U.S. Command and General Staf f College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.- SMI will also perform parades and routine drill, with combat exercises (FTX’s) as part o f their duties as cadets. Unlike VMI, the Southern Military Institute will not have commissioning authority for officers in the Un i te d S ta te s Army o r N a tio n a l Guard. Those cadets seeking commissions will have the opportunity with Officer Candidate School. Special military ceremonies will also be conduc ted hon o r in g the Southern Confederacy and Confederate Memorial Day. The Southern Military Institute will also commemorate such events as the Battle o f New Market which began at VMI as well as other events honored at the Citadel. Much like VMI, the class system will also be in effect. The ratline and the “Brother-Rat” m entality will be, in their view, “re-established” as well as the “Dyke system,” which will be “ considered the direct lineage o f the Old Corps.” Another aspect o f SMI will be the “Gen tleman ’s Honor Code” adopted from VMI and will have the same procedures for electing honor court members from the upper two classes. The Honor Code will remain that a “ cadet will not lie, cheat, steal nor tolerate those who do.” The Board estimates that tuition, room, board and other fees would amount to about $17,000 a year, but says the final figure could Christian values, with special atten- be 10 percent to 15 percent lower. Army Dining in AROTCcadets* 12th annualfun-feast St»ve Nichols if News Writer On Friday, 13 February, the VMI Marshall-New Market Battalion held their annual 12*’' annual Dinning Inn at the Virginia Horse Center. Marking the first time the event was held o f f the VMI post, the annual formal marked 12 years o f celebrating th e u n iq u e re la t io n sh ip b e twe en Army ROTC and VMI Although it is considered a formal event, a traditional military dinning in is closed to those members in the unit. Certain special guests are allowed to attend but only by invitation. The purpose o f a formal with no dates is to promote unit integrity as well as poke fun at those in the _unit. The guidelines are that i f you have dirt oh a specific m ember in the unit-you bring it to light during the course o f the evening. Once an individual is, b rought before everyone-they must drink from the “grog bowl” Or a mixture o f several spirits intended io represent army folklore and get the accused inebriated. Although this is Army tradition, the Marshall- New Market Battalion “grog bowl” was no^-alcoholic. I think it went of f really well, everyone put a lot o f time into it and I think it really shows,” commented First Classman Dan Gibson. Although the night is f illed with humor, it. follows a strict code o f tradition that stems from the earliest units in the United States military. Each service and unit has traditions o f their own as well. After the opening ceremonies, the night commen c ed with a b u f fe t d in n e r courtesy o f the Va. Horse C enter and a guest speaker. This ye a r ’s guest speaker was L ie u te n a n t C o lo n e l E r ic D. H u tc h in g s , VMI c la s s o f 1977. Hutching’s is the Commander o f the 4"’ Ranger Training Battalion at Fort . Benning, Georgia. A distinguished . m i l i ta ry g r a d u a te f rom V M I , ' Hutching’s holds numerous awards ; and citations that mark an extraordi" ' nary i f not dangerous career. Among these are the Special F o rc e ’s tab. Ranger tab, as well as the Scuba, Air Assault, and Expert Infantry Badges. He is also a Master Parachutist and qualified HALO (High Altitude Low Opening) jumper. In a speech citing the hazards and the rewards o f the military as !a ; career, Hutchings commented on sev* ' eral missions he partook in and the effect they had. Having traveled the Four Comers o f the globe, Hutchings had several enlightening stories that reflected the experiences he had at VMI. Thought by many whom a ttended to be one o f the best dinning ins' in recent years, the cadets look forward to next yea r ’s “grog bowl” celebration.
Object Description
Repository | Virginia Military Institute Archives |
Collection | VMI Cadet Newspaper |
Title | VMI Cadet. February 20, 1998 |
Issue Date | 1998-02-20 |
Volume/Number | Volume 90, number 17 |
Publisher | Virginia Military Institute |
Publication History | The Cadet (originally the Keydet), VMI's student newspaper, began weekly publication in the fall of 1907. Not published 1943-44, 1944-45, 1945-46 |
Frequency | Weekly during academic year, except during examinations and vacations |
Subject |
Virginia Military Institute -- Publications. Virginia Military Institute -- Cadet life. College student newspapers and periodicals -- Virginia -- Lexington. |
Digital Publisher | Virginia Military Institute Archives |
VMI Archives Records Group | Publications |
Rights | Materials in the VMI Archives Digital Collections are intended for educational and research use and may be used for non-commercial purposes with appropriate attribution. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of copyright. Acknowledgement of the Virginia Military Institute Archives Digital Collections is required. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information. |
Type | text |
Format | application/pdf |
Description
Title | Page 1 |
Issue Date | 1998-02-20 |
Full Text Search | f R h S IU N L iU R M f r CJF 5 \ l-’L VMi'‘Sentinel" r o R i ^ j» B d t w r e e n l i i q | |M d a i l l t t n l p l a c e H um o r 1 ... M a n l l G r a s ' T o p ^ T M " VOLUIVIE XC tEhc Caitrt Friday, 20 February 1998 ron^u^ gtunes m $ 1 . 0 0 Number 17 Southern Military Eyes Texas Campus News Briefs World Annan Leaves For Iraq UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan leaves for Baghdad today on what he’s conceded is a “last hope” mission to avert U.S.-led military strikes against Iraq. Annan is due in Baghdad tomorrow after flying to Paris, where he holds talks with French P re s id en t Ja cq u e s Chirac. Annan is due back in time to br ief the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday. A n n a n ’s m is s io n comes against the background o f a U.S. naval, air and troop buildup in the Gulf, poised to strike if Iraqi President Saddam Hussein persists in denying U.N. arms inspectors free access to “presidential and sovereign sites.” Reinforcements Arrive in Kuwait KUWAIT (Reuters) - U!S. troop reinforcements began arriving in Kuwait today to shore up American military power in the Gulf in a confrontation with Iraq over weapons inspections. Witnesses say a first planeload o f several hundred o f the total 6,000 U.S. Army a rmo red an d h e l ic o p te r troops expected in Kuwait landed at the international airport, and the soldiers filed into buses. Diplomats say they expect it will take 72 hours for all the troops to arrive and a day or two more for them all to draw equipment stored in the small G ulf state and deploy in the desert. National Air Force bomber crashes inK y . MARION, Ky. - AH fo u r crew members o f a Bl -B bomber that crashed in western Kentucky Wednesday afternoon are alive according to state police. The aircraft was flying out o f Dyess Air Force Base near Abilene, Texas, when it went down in a rural section northeast o f Marion. The bomber was not one o f the additional warplanes being dispatched to the Persian Gulf, Air Force officials said. AAA seeks to diffuse road rage WASHINGTON - The American Automobile Association says it’s time for change in attitude behind the wheel. The AAA announced a campaign Wednesday aimed at quelling the anger o f aggressive drivers, who often provoke or commit violence on the road. According to the association, the number o f accidents and deaths resulting from “road rage” is on the rise, and drivers need to take a deep breath and relax before hitting the streets. Lawyer: No ‘hard evidence’ in bombing BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Investigators have no hard evidence againstthe man being sought in the fatal bombing o f an Alabama abort io n c l in ic , a law y e r fo r the suspect’s family said Wednesday. AttomeyJames Bell says he’s skeptical that federal agents’ evidence against Eric Robert Rudolph links him to the Jan. 29 bombing that killed a guard and injured a nurse at the Birmingham clinic. Suspects are currently being investigated and. pursued for possible links to this bombing. News briefs are compiled from the USA Today web site. Addressing the Educational Dilemma: Dr. Sommers on Morality TabHha Stump News Writer D o c to r C h r i s t in a H o f f Sommers, professor o f philosophy at Clark University, was the guest speaker during Tuesday’s Commandants Training Time. Since 1980 she has specialized in ethics and contemporary moral theory. She is also the author o f the recently published book. Who Stole Feminism. How women have betraved women. The two main points o f Dr. Sommers' speech were focused on the problems with today’s educational system. Her first m ain point was on the importance o f moral literacy. “Students today have a problem when knowing the philosophical and literary ideas at the foundatio n o f o u r d em o c r a c y ,” s a id Sommers. Second, she pointed out that there is a lack o f moral confidence among students. Sommers stated, “ In public schools, there is a failure to pass along its traditions and heritage to students.” She then added that i f students would be taught about the rich heritage and traditions o f our country, students would be more willing to appreciate and defend their country. Dr. S omme rs w a n te d th e Corps to know that as societies future leaders, it would b« up tothem-to change the direction on which America’s youth are going down. The children that are in grade school now and in the upcoming years will be our generation’s leaders and it is our responsibility to teach them. When asked about the assimilation o f VMI, Dr. Sommers said she feels that she has a three-sided dilemma with the decision. First o f Dr. Sommers spoke to the VMI corps o f cadets in JM Hall on Tuesday. all, she was very sad to hear about the admittance o f women to an institution that takes so much pride in the fact it has preserved i t ’s southern heritage by staying all male. At the same time, however, she believes that it has opened up so many doors to women and has p rovided so many o f them with equal opportunity. She also believes that there are differences between-mea-aad.women-aiid single sex education can be a benefit to those differences. Cadet Will Sarsfi’eld said after hearing Dr. Sonuner’s speech that Dr. Sommers refreshed the Corps with her peacefiil delivery o f a strong message. “ She was not a ‘today’s kind o f militant feminist, but more o f a feminist o f the old school,” he said. Sarsfield adds. She really got me to listen up and pay attention.” He believes her message was applicable to everyone, not ju s t to men or women, in the audience. “ She made us take a time out and helped us to see were society is headed,” said Cadet Je f f Snyder. “ It r e a l ly m o t iv a te d me w h e n she pointed out that there was nothing wrong with some people having tra- —diUooal.gea4er loles,- Some women want to be housewives and some men want to be mechanics, and that’s okay,” Snyder said. Dr. Sommers is currently working on a book titled The War Apair Bovs. In this book she will address how it is boys, not girls, which are being academically short changed and drained o f self-esteem in today’s society. Private all-male military college hopes to open its doors in fall of 1998 DaieDuriach VMI Quad A Society Contingent Observes Space Shuttle Launch J. Lamb Guest Writar The Quad A had a trip to Cape Kennedy, FL from 22 Jan to 24 Jan. Seventeen cadets . Six VWIL and eleven VMI cadets, attended the trip. On Jan the cadets saw the Shuttle Endeavour lift off. The Space shuttle Endeavour will conduct the eighth o f nine dockings o f a U.S. spacecraft with the Russian Mir space station. After docking is completed, Andrew S.W. Thomas, the seventh and last U.S. a s t ro n a u t to liv e and work aboard the Russian space platform, will transfer from Endeavour to become a member o f the Mir 24 crew for approximately four months. Thomas will replace Dr. David A. Wolf, who boarded Mir during the STS-86 mission in September. Wolf will return to Earth aboard Endeavour.. In addition to the crew transfer during docking operations, the seven-member crew will move tons o f science and logistical materials as well as supplies between the two spacecraft, including water from the o rb ite r ’s fuel cells for use on Mir. Science investigations that are concerned with crew health and safety aboard Mir and technical applications for the International Space Station will be also conducted during this time. On Sat 24 Jan the shuttle reached the Mir space station The next day, following the shuttle launch, the cadets went to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex where they met with Lt. Col. Forrestor, Lt. Col. Forrestor is a qualified astronaut who is currently in a support role for the astronauts until he is able to go into space. He talked about the various topics, such as, astronaut training. Endeavour’s mission, and what it takes to become an astronaut. The cadets were able to ask questions. After the briefing the cadets were o f f to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. They were shown a 3-D movie in the theater that took place in the ftiture about a civilization that lived on a space station. After that they saw a reenactment o f the final minutes o f an actual space mission from a replica o f the actual control room. Elsewhere in the Complex there were replicas o f the Apollo and Saturn V rockets. From here they shuttled to the International Space Station Center. After a brief film they toured the several incredibly detailed full-scale mockups o f space station modules. These mockups are identical to the ones that will be used on the space station. The cadets then went to a viewing gallery that actually looks into the bay where eoch space station module is checked out, processed and readied for its trip into orbit. Using another shuttle the cadets traveled to the sixty-foot observation gantry located in the heart o f Launch Complex 39. From here the Cape Kennedy can be viewed. On Saturday, the clan headed back to Virginia. One thing that will be taken from this trip is the space shuttle liftoff. A shuttle liftoff is a spectacular event. The shuttle lit up the night sky with its bright flame. After about 10 seconds a rumbling come across the water as the sound o f the liftoff makes its way to the spectators who are more than 10 miles away. Colonel Bissell led the VMI contingent o f the Quad A Convention. Commissioning up from 1997 CoUnlMahle Guest Writer There has been a 24 percent total increase o f commissioning iiom last year thanks to VMI's decision to feed and house its potential officers. The Army department hais seen the largest increase, growing from 22 in 1997 to 42 in 1998. Professor o f Military Science, U.S. Army Colonel William Chalkley accounted for the increase by explaining that four-year ROTC scholarship winners from the class o f 1998 were the first that VMI offered room and board. Chalkley said he suspects that many o f the winners before 1998 took their scholarships to Texas A&M, Norwich, and other schools that offered room and board. Cadet John Downs from Gallatin, Tennessee agreed, "This is probably the best deal if you have an ROTC scholarship. Here you get the benefit o f having [room and board] paid for." The Novy and Marine Corps together added 7 commissions to their total. These two departments, typically the smallest, can also credit their growth to the new room and board. The Air Force decreased from 25 to 19. United States Air Force Captain Tim Lewallen, Conunandant o f Cadets for the Aeronautical Studies Department blamed the Air Force's drop on the "different interests" o f the cadets. He also sajd, "We are trying to do a better job about getting information to cadets early." An Air Force Department survey earlier this year revealed cadets were uninterested because of a lack of knowledge about the Air Force program. Mary Sihnan, a third-class Air Force student said the decreases may be due to career factors. " They want to fly, and tlien they fmd out how hard it is to get a pilot spot." News Editor A group o f VMI alumni have decided to lay the foundations for an all-male private military school. The school. Southern Military Institute (SMI), will adopt the encompassing rituals that once took place at VMI. The school will be an engineering and science institution focusing on the foundations o f Christianity and ethics while retaining the same m ilitary traditions o f VMI and the Citadel. The board members to represent the school have been elected and this group officially founded the Institution on 20 August 1997 in the state o f A la b am a . T h is group, composed o f an elected president, his directors, and adv iso ry b o a rd members, will dec ide in th e c om in g w e e k s whether o r not to buy a campus situated in Big Sandy. I f the Institute should proceed with buying this campus, a spokeswoman said that they would enroll their first class this fall. The only obstacle to th i s p ro p o s i t io n w o u ld be the $250,000 needed in the next couple o f weeks to cover the closing costs. To accomplish this task, the South- ' em Military Institute will run advertisements seeking donations in various newspapers and magazines designed to reach out to VMI and Citadel alumni sympathetic to their cause. In terms o f academics, the institute will be composed primarily o f engineering and science courses. It will also provide cadets with a solid background in Western Civilization, Amer ic an Politics , Constitutional Studies, and Military History. The In s ti tu te envis ions s taying small, around 1200 cadets, and offering a limited number o f degrees so that, in their view, “the highest-quality education for many young men is best achieved.” As a privately fiinded Institution, SMI also believes that the men who compose this school should have a firm background in Judeo-tion placed on the Christian faith. SMI, as a military school, will incorporate training equal to traditional ROTC programs as seen at VMI. The military courses and training will be comparable to those used at the Staf f Officer Courses o f the U.S. Command and General Staf f College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.- SMI will also perform parades and routine drill, with combat exercises (FTX’s) as part o f their duties as cadets. Unlike VMI, the Southern Military Institute will not have commissioning authority for officers in the Un i te d S ta te s Army o r N a tio n a l Guard. Those cadets seeking commissions will have the opportunity with Officer Candidate School. Special military ceremonies will also be conduc ted hon o r in g the Southern Confederacy and Confederate Memorial Day. The Southern Military Institute will also commemorate such events as the Battle o f New Market which began at VMI as well as other events honored at the Citadel. Much like VMI, the class system will also be in effect. The ratline and the “Brother-Rat” m entality will be, in their view, “re-established” as well as the “Dyke system,” which will be “ considered the direct lineage o f the Old Corps.” Another aspect o f SMI will be the “Gen tleman ’s Honor Code” adopted from VMI and will have the same procedures for electing honor court members from the upper two classes. The Honor Code will remain that a “ cadet will not lie, cheat, steal nor tolerate those who do.” The Board estimates that tuition, room, board and other fees would amount to about $17,000 a year, but says the final figure could Christian values, with special atten- be 10 percent to 15 percent lower. Army Dining in AROTCcadets* 12th annualfun-feast St»ve Nichols if News Writer On Friday, 13 February, the VMI Marshall-New Market Battalion held their annual 12*’' annual Dinning Inn at the Virginia Horse Center. Marking the first time the event was held o f f the VMI post, the annual formal marked 12 years o f celebrating th e u n iq u e re la t io n sh ip b e twe en Army ROTC and VMI Although it is considered a formal event, a traditional military dinning in is closed to those members in the unit. Certain special guests are allowed to attend but only by invitation. The purpose o f a formal with no dates is to promote unit integrity as well as poke fun at those in the _unit. The guidelines are that i f you have dirt oh a specific m ember in the unit-you bring it to light during the course o f the evening. Once an individual is, b rought before everyone-they must drink from the “grog bowl” Or a mixture o f several spirits intended io represent army folklore and get the accused inebriated. Although this is Army tradition, the Marshall- New Market Battalion “grog bowl” was no^-alcoholic. I think it went of f really well, everyone put a lot o f time into it and I think it really shows,” commented First Classman Dan Gibson. Although the night is f illed with humor, it. follows a strict code o f tradition that stems from the earliest units in the United States military. Each service and unit has traditions o f their own as well. After the opening ceremonies, the night commen c ed with a b u f fe t d in n e r courtesy o f the Va. Horse C enter and a guest speaker. This ye a r ’s guest speaker was L ie u te n a n t C o lo n e l E r ic D. H u tc h in g s , VMI c la s s o f 1977. Hutching’s is the Commander o f the 4"’ Ranger Training Battalion at Fort . Benning, Georgia. A distinguished . m i l i ta ry g r a d u a te f rom V M I , ' Hutching’s holds numerous awards ; and citations that mark an extraordi" ' nary i f not dangerous career. Among these are the Special F o rc e ’s tab. Ranger tab, as well as the Scuba, Air Assault, and Expert Infantry Badges. He is also a Master Parachutist and qualified HALO (High Altitude Low Opening) jumper. In a speech citing the hazards and the rewards o f the military as !a ; career, Hutchings commented on sev* ' eral missions he partook in and the effect they had. Having traveled the Four Comers o f the globe, Hutchings had several enlightening stories that reflected the experiences he had at VMI. Thought by many whom a ttended to be one o f the best dinning ins' in recent years, the cadets look forward to next yea r ’s “grog bowl” celebration. |