VMI Cadet. September 5, 2008

              1 9 0 7
O n e o f t h e
O l d e s t C o l l e g e
N e w s p a p e r s
2 0 0 8
T h e C a d e t
I n d e p e n d e n t l y
R u n B y C a d e t s
S i n c e 1 9 0 7
VOLUME 1 0 2 F r i d a y , S e p t e m b e r 5 t h , 2 0 0 8 I S S U E 1 5 1 00
W e e k in
R e v i e w
FYI
The Next Issue of
THECADETmW be
printed on
12 September 2008
Sports:
Will our VMI Keydets
dominate the grid iron
this fall? Will Cross
Country run its way to
success? Find out pg 4
Entertainment:
Star Wars, NHL
08', and a few good
books are just the tip
o f the iceberg in this
week's entertainment
section. You will fine
more on page 6.
Humor:
Let's see what Cadets
think about the new
0130 rule.
S eciions
News, 1
Opinion................. 3
Sports................... 4
EntertalnniiMii....... (>
Hiunor. a
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Matriculation Week 2008-2009
Features: Find out who
Kath}' Lavender , we mean
Wirtanen, really is... pg 2
Hy Jonathan Twi,!>,[>■
Cm IcI News \\Vit( r
On Ausust 23. 200H. 447 Now
(lailcts mauiciil.ttcd wiili ilir Rat Mass
of 'I'lu'sc N'cu C.idcls Icii (heir
laniilics to siari llii'ir lullcgc carciT
and liopcfully om- day cam tlu' liilc ol
Cadet.
The sicnc was not unlike that nl'
past years; it was warm out, and sw arms
of New tladets and their families could
be seen trutlsins; back and forth between
their new homes on the lourlh Stoop
and their cars, arms loaded with iiems
for the upcominir semester.
rite lirst day saw a large number
of events and a busy schedule for both
early return cadets and New Cadets
alike. New Cadets started their day
with a trip down to Cameron Hall in
order to talk with members representinu;
X'MI's various academic and RO'l'C
de partments.
The niatriciilanl,s then w ent to C iocke
Hall, wheie the S-7 and S-j stall's hosted
a Matriculation Fair. 'I'he Matriculation
Fair boasted various ieprcsentati\ es from
•area banks, churches, businesses, cadet
organizations, and the Parents Council.
Coll'ee and other refreshments were
ser\ed. and families got the chance to
see what their sons and daughli'is were
going lo e.\|)erience in the Rockbridge
County ,\ica.
After lunch, the Matriculation
Fair, and signing the Matriculation
Book, the New Cadets were called to
formation in Ciameron Hnll so that
the march into Barracks cottld begin,
Mairiculants were sectioned oil' into
their companies and began the march
up the hill towards the Old Barracks
coiutN.iicI, 'I'he decision to have “Meet
'\()ur Cadre” in Old Barracks this year
was to accommodate a larger number ol'
incoming cadets, as in |)ast years it had
been in the New Barracks courtyard.
.\lso iliU'ereiU from past years was that
the Cadre March-in was done without a
drum cadence. Instead, a cadence was
(ailed while Cadre members marched
through [ackson Arch down the center
of the courtyard,
.\fter the Meet Yotir Cadre wotk
out session. Matriculation Week finally
began. Cadre now had control over the
Matriculants and their military training
could begin,
Fvery company, like past years, had
either an OCJ.V or CIEA memi)er iiresent
dining all training e\ents prescribed by
Cadre, Some new rules were put into
TAPS: Cadet Robert Knight
By Je rry Hickey
Ciidct News Writer
The new school year of 2()0({-09
kicked olV w ith a somber and mournful
beginning as the news of Cadet ’Fhird
Classman Robert Knight's death
reached the \'M1 community. While
drixing back to Lexington early to
begin his cadre training on the morning
tif Saturday, ,\ugust Hi'''. Robert was
struck and killed instantly hy a drixer
tmiler the iniluence of alcohol on US
17 in the Wight County community of
Carrollton.
"Robert was an awesomi' person",
said Lane I’ratt, Third Class CJC
Historian and fellow Hotel Company
Brother Rat, "He loved \ ’MI and
ewrything it stood for. This was a
terrible tr.tgedy. anil we all miss him
gre.uly."
.\t \'ML Robert was known for his
great companionship and boundless
nioiixation, always making sure his
Brother Rats were squared away with
their work .mil always giving 110
l)ercent in everything he did, Robert
was also known i'or his assertive
leailersliip \s ithin Hotel Company and
among his fellow Brother Rats in the
C(iri)s.
"He was my fa\-orite ‘Big Kid' at
the Institute, and was the guy 1 could
always cotmt on to get things done and
watch cartoons with on a Saturday
night,' said .John .Manning, Tliird
Class (iC President anil good frienil
ol Robett. "He was one ol the biggest
moti\'atois ih.it we hail and simply .i
great guy to be aroiuid."
In high school, Robert lettered
in football, track, and wtestling. He
.tlso earned the award of Kagle Sioiit,
which is the highest honor bestowed
u])on young men in the Boy Scouts
of Anterica, Robert Knight delinitely
brought his natural talent and
leadership skills to succeed at \'ML In
aiklition to being selected for a c.idre
position in Hotel Com])any to train
the incoming Rats, Robert was also
working towards a commission as a
Second Lieutenant in the United States
Army uj^on graduation,
"It was just like with everything
else," said his father Richard Knight,
in an inten iew with the Roanoke times,
"He had that perseverance; he was
going (o dewloj) himself,"
A funeral ser\ ice xvas arranged at
Colonial Funeral Home in Smithlield
for his family and close friends. The
class of 2011 is also currently ;nTanging
for a i)laque and a lirick to be made in
his honor. At T/\PS on Friday evening,
the class of 2011 will give an old yell
in the cmirtyard in honor of Robert.
There will ;ilso be a memorial seiA'ice
that s;une night in Jackson Memori;il
Hall, where cadets can honor and
remember Robert,
.Several cadets shared their I'eelings
and personal stories about Knight and
the moving inijjact he had on them,
"Knight was always the one being
proactive," said !V'' classman Jared
B.ilsor, "He w;is the one going by
peo|)le's rooms, making sure we h;td
our shoes and our brass shined, making
sute our bells were made."
Robert Knight will tindoubiedly
be distinctly leniembered and honored
by his Brother Rats anil the Corj)s of
C.ulets at \'.\1I.
Some information taken from The
Ro.moke Times
])lace this vear by the Commandant
stair and the Superintendent in order to
reduce \ ’Ml's potential liability. Neither
Claiire nor any Cadet may raise their
hands above their shoulders in order
to correct a Rat's Strain or to make any
other correction. Doors may no longer
lie kicked open in order to enter a Rat
room or huriy a Rat, These are just a
few changes that have been made to the
Ratline system,
riiroughout .Matriculation Week
the Rats were trained, yelled at,
corrected, and drilled. Due to adverse
weather conditions, the usual House
Mountain climlj was re])laced by a four
mile ruck march led by Regimental Stall',
the Cleneral Committee, and Cadre,
I'he normal foot checks and
hygiene times were brought back this
year in order to prevent serious injury or
sickness. The Cadet Cottnseling SeiA’ice
was on standby in the Concourse and the
Field Hospital was located on the First
Stoo|5 in New Barracks,
Of the 447 individuals matiiculated,
by the end of Matriculation Week twenty-three
had been lost. Official numbers
state that about 56"/o of die NLitiiculants
hail from the State of \ ’irginia, while si,K
come from foreign countries. The class
of 2009+3 matiiculated with thirty-nine
female Rats,
The road ahead of these New
Cadets is a long and arduous one,
fraught with challenge and rife with
develo|)ment opportunities. While it
seems to them now to be Hell, it will in
retrospect be remembered as one of the
defining moments of their lives.
CCS Arrives with a Fresh Face
By Chris Martin
CadetViwvsi Writer
'Fhe C!adet Counseling Services
stair arrived early this year on August
IH to prepare for another Ratline, and
also ])rc|5are for the many changes that
are going to be made. CCS is a cadet-led
peer counseling and education
group that is su])erv ised by the Institute
Counselors. Dill'erent from years before,
the (;CS stair moved into the concourse
during Hell Week to act its the “silent
partner to cadre". 'I'here are si.xteen
cadets on staff this academic year, with
Cadet in Charge Dan O ’Connell ‘09
being assisted by cadets Sara Hanson
■(19 and Riley V\'irth '09. Another
addition to CC!S is Major Kevin Faust
’9(i, who is this year's liaison to the
Comaiulant’s Stall’.
For communication ])iirposes,
each cadet counselor has been ;iw<w^ned
to a coni])any to provide a better
How of information via Company
Commander’s 'I'ime. Although there
are company representatives, the CCS
staff would like to inform the \'MI
community that any member can be
sought out for assistance.
"We help cadets overcome a vatiety
of dilliculties," says ACIC Riley ^\’irth.
"Some of the.se include addictions,
mental health issues, and everyday
conflicts, amongst other things."
.'\ny cadet counselor can be found
in a room with a vellow CCS door card
;md will be glad to helji 24/7. If they
are not av ailable, cadets are'enclntraged
to go to the \'.MI Infirmary and use
the many other resources available on
Post. Dr, Coi)eland, institute counselors
Major (irillin and LtCol Manis, and
C;iutplain Park are -ilso excellent
individuals to confide in. The C.adet
Counseling oflice is open from OfiOO
to 1()30 Monday through Friday and
is located above the \ ’MI Infirmaiy,
which is open twenty-four hours a day,
seven days a week,
"We are a medical facility that
follows the guidelines of the X'irginia
Board of .Medicine, which means
records here are confidential unless
there is a wiitten release or coiifern for
that person or other persons’ safety,"
says Dr, Copeland, Director of the \ ’MI
Health Center,
"W’c understand that \'.MI can
be a stressful environment for anyone,
especially for a Rat," points out LtCol
Manis, “Change is stressful - even when
it’s positive like going to college,"
CCS would also like to indicate
that Brother Rats and Dykes are an
imjiortant and reliable resource for
receiving help or assistance in seeking
out a Ci’adet Counselor, This year's
CCS program is not ‘cake and punch’
like it may have seemed in the past.
CCS has made a 180-degree turn and
has become a service that as.sists cadets
in making the best and most suitable
decision for themselves.
“Remember, you are not letting
down )'our Brother Rats by expressing to
someone that you are having a difTicult
time. Your health and safety come fii>t,"
says CIC Dan O ’Connell, '
Major Dave Cotting in the
Psycholog)’ and Philosophy Department
has been researching mental illness and
counseling in the militaiy. Cotting
commented that “wiien it conies to
psychological injuries, many.., buddies
seem to be absent to the call of duty, '\et,
research conducted with thousands of
men and women in uniform shows that
a) we tend to first turn to our buddies
when we go through tough times, and bi
when those in need get help quickly and
while they are still able to runction, 9;V’ u
of them return to duty,"
Clotting’s re.search has helped CCS
and the Ciorps realize that it is okay
to turn to your friend or a counselor,
like many others have in the militaiy.
Someone in mental or physical ilistress
should get help tiuickly so they may
return to duty in a healthy state of
mind,
“Not taking care of one’s buddy
may then represent a colossal failure
of a cadet’s opportunity to not only
develoj) as a leader but also to serve the
Corps as a whole," Clotting concluded.
J