VMI Cadet. May 13, 2009

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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
m .
P re s to n L ih ra ry
V i rg in ia M i l i ta ry In s t i tu te
L e x in g to n . V A 2 4 4 5 0
T h e C a d e t
"Summertime, and the livin' is easy. Fish are a-jumpinand that old cotton is high "
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 102 W E D N E S D A Y ; M A Y 1 3 t h , 2 0 0 9 I S S U E 2 5 $ 2 , 0 0
Jhe NeKtls^e-pfi
September 4tl>, 2009
Week in
Review
The Cadet proudly
presents...the two
first classmen re­sponsible
for this
year's cadet!...pg 2
Read all about
the Big South
baseball
standings . . . p g 4
There's a new Star Trek
Movie, and we're re­viewing
as fast as we
, can, Captain! She won't
take any more!...pg 5
S e c t i o n s
News...............................1
Opinion............... 4
Sports................. ...........5
Entertainment...... 6
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C l a s s o f 2 0 0 9 G r a d u a t e s
ByTimGraziano
Cac/ef News Writer
As spring arid the long a n ­ticipated
month of May arrive, each
cadet inevitably looks back on what
has transpired over the last year. For
the cadets of the class of 2009, they
look back on their past four years.
Benjamin Finney Kimsey and Bar­rett
Luxhoj, 09’s General Committee
President and Vice
President r e sp e c ­tively,
have shared
with The Cadef their
expe r ienc e s , fe e l ­ings,
and points of
pride con c e rn in g
the c la s s of 2009.
“I think we
will always be con­sidered
a c la s s of
change and transi­tion,”
spoke Kimsey.
Luxhoj agreed say­ing,
“We c ame in
a s the vision 2039
was created and it
will finally be com­plete
on our thirty
year reunion. We
are the last class to
use Lejune Hall and
Mallory Hall before
it wa s renovated.
We have also se en
the creation of third
barracks and the
Center for Leader­ship
and Ethic s .”
S p e a k in g o f
their Ratline, Kimsey stated, “I will
always remember how it always
rained. It rained during the Gover­nor’s
parade, the night we met the
Honor Court, and the night we met the
RDC. In fact that is one of the things
depicted on our class rings. We did
many things during our Ratline that
have made all of us unified a s a class.
We have thrown the third’s hays, res­cued
our brother rats from the RDC
and locked the thirds in their rooms."
Kimsey went on to say, “We were also
the first class to have sandbags a s a
centerpiece of breakout. Since then,
every class has used them as well.”
In addition to the beginning of
their cadetships, Kimsey and Luxhoj
also spoke of the diversity that has'
made 2009 so great. Luxhoj said,
“We have had multiple brother rats
in combat zo n e s such a s Bosnia,
Iraq, Afghanistan, and Guantanamo.
Everyone that takes a commission
other civilian jobs. We are definitely
well represented in the workforce.”
Sticking with the theme of
change and transition, Kimsey said,
“We have se en a new commandant,
a MRSA outbreak and now swine flu,
the me s s hall and banracks catch on
fire multiple times, and the beginning
of vision 2039. We are the first class
to not have old corps white blouse,
and we are also one of the wealthi-
-ir.
I
after graduation takes one in a time of
war. In our class, we have a Rhode’s
Scholar, Gregory Lippiatt, and a top
ten world tri-athlete, Ira Gallagher.
We also have Willie Bell and Chavis
and Travis Holmes who have brought
not only national recognition to our
class, but to VMI as well.” Kimsey
added, “Of the 240 of us graduat­ing,
we have many commissioning
in all branches, a s well a s future
medical school, law school, and Princ­eton
students. We also have many
brother rats taking government and
est. We still have all three original
CG members, but we have seen HC
change, a s well a s a new regimental
CO. More recently, we have s e en
the first African American president.
We have recentralized the cadet
government and the process in which
it is elected. We, our class, have re­ally
created a s e n s e of community
among the Corps and have taken
responsibility for what happens in
barracks. What has made us truly so
successful is our embrace of change,
both of our own making and out of
our control. We have focused on the
positive and made the most of it.”
When asked what they re­member
most looking back on their
cadetships, Kimsey and Luxhoj both
struggled to find the words for what
they really felt. Luxhoj said, “Speaking
for myself a s a GC officer, I feel like
we did a good job of putting our class
before ourselves and our own interest.
I am eternally grateful and will contin­ue
to serve my
c la s s a s b e s t
a s I can after
graduation. As
far a s what I will
most regret af­ter
graduation,
it h a s to be
the loss of the
s e n s e of fam­ily
w e all share.
It will definitely
feel different as
alumni and af­ter
May le"* we
can no longer
call ou r s e lv e s
cadets. I know,
however, that
a f t e r e v e r y ­thing
we have
b e e n through
a s a class, we
will never hesi­tate
to ask for
or give help to
each other later
in life." Kimsey
said, “I will most
miss my brother rats and the other
people I have grown close to in my
cadetship. People wish the time away,
but they will look back and realize we
are a family and that will never change.
We will always take care of each oth­er.
We are one of the closest clas se s
to eve r come through barracks.”
The Cadet would like to
wish congratulations to all of the
g r ad u a t in g m em b e r s o f 2 0 0 9 .
In the words of Finney Kimsey,
“Continue forward, take what we
h a v e learned here, and thrive.”
Glee Club Visits DC
By Allen McCown
Cai/efNewsWriterr
This pa s t w e ek en d , April 18"’
through 19* the VMI Glee Club, un­der
the direction of COL Brodie, went
to Washington D.C. for their spring
trip. The group has been planning
the trip since last semes ter and they
were all very excited to perform In the
nation's capital. Just shy of 20 cadets
participated. The cadets stayed right
outside of the city, and upon comple­tion
of their performance, went Into
the city for the night on Saturday.
The club’s first perfomiance was at
the National Shrine of the Immacu­late
Conception. The church is the
largest Roman Catholic Church in
the whole of North America. Hous­ing
over 70 chapels within the super
structure, it really lives up to its
reputation of being very large. The
Shrine is also listed In the worid’s
top ten largest places of worship.
First classman Holly Giacologne, the
Glee Club CIC, commented about
the church by saying, “It was one
of the most architecturally beauti­ful
and decorative buildings the club
h a s had the privilege to sing in."
The other performance the gle e
club had in Washington DC wa s at
the Marine Corps Museum. Gia­cologne
commented on the perfor­mance
by saying, “It wa s a great
experience which allowed for both
a p e r fo rman c e and th e oppo r ­tunity
to learn about the Marine
Corps. The mu s eum s taff w a s
very excited to have us perform,
and offered a first clas s tour of the
museum after the performance."
to s e e or land, the entrance to the
Leatherneck Galley is no different,
the Terrazzo Floor depicts the transi­tion
from s e a to land. In the ceinter
of the area there is a large sculpture
commemorating the battle for Iwo
While at the museum, the group
performed In Leatherneck Galley at
1300 on the 19“’. A marine is not tied
Jima. The large spire Is meant to
signify the raising of the flag upon
the capture of the island. The e leva­tor
tower in the proximate area is
meant to resemble the wheelhouse
of a ship, to signify the strong Navy-
Marine partnership. The VMI Marine
ROTC unit went to the Museum last
year. One cadet commented, “The
Marine Corps museum gives you a
good taste of what the Marines have
done for the country in the past and
most recently. It gives the visitor a
good idea of what marines are ca­pable
of doing now and in the future.”
The members of the Viyil Glee
Club have traveled the codntry. for
years, spreading music to anyone
eage r to listen. The group not only
represents the Institute well, it also
finds a little bit of time to enjoy each
others' company. Second classman
Dominik Wermus commented on the
group's trip by saying, “It was a lot
of fun just to have us going out as
a group together. Many cadets find
themselves too busy to e s c a p e on
weekends - but if you're with the Glee
Club, you're out doing official duties
and still getting the chance to have
fun in downtown D.C. like we did.”
The Gle e club h a s performed
in many different v e n u e s in the
group’s history. This year, they per-fomned
In Chariottesville a s well a s
at a memorial service in memorial
gardens here on Post. Last year,
the group's big trip was to Virginia
Beach. They saw the Virginia Inter­national
Tattoo; they received tickets
be cause the Mayor of Norfolk Is a
VMI alumnus. The group has also
performed at the Mariner's Museum
in Hampton, Virginia a s well a s
for a group of alumni In the area.