VMI Commissions New Officers, Remembers the Fallen
What started out as a foggy, misty morning, warmed into a bright afternoon as nearly 170 麻豆女演员 Institute cadets commissioned into the armed services in Cameron Hall, May 15 at the annual Reserve Officers鈥 Training Corps (ROTC) joint commissioning ceremony. The ceremony was for family and friends who could not attend the event in person.
Lt. Gen. Karl Gingrich, deputy chief of staff for the U.S. Army, offered the commissioning officer remarks and administered the oath of office to the cadets beginning their journey of military service as second lieutenants in the U.S. Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, and Space Force, and as ensigns in the Navy and Coast Guard.
It was the final commissioning ceremony for Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins 鈥85, superintendent, who welcomed all in attendance and thanked the ROTC departments, faculty, staff, family members, and guests who supported and encouraged the cadets throughout their time at VMI. 鈥淓very successful cadetship is a testament to the hard work of many people. VMI produces more commissioned officers than any other school in the nation outside of the federal service academies. This doesn鈥檛 occur by happenstance.鈥 He noted that the ceremony marks the culmination of four diligent years, and the beginning of a life of service, and part of one of the central purposes of VMI, the preparation and education of citizen-soldiers.
After Wins recognized veterans and current military members in the audience and thanked them for their service, he noted that since the founding of VMI 186 years ago, cadets have always stepped up to serve the nation, and that soon many of those commissioning will join other alumni serving around the world. 鈥淲e must have a strong military that is led by forward thinkers who are highly educated and grounded in character. As I look out here today, I see future leaders who are ready for the challenge. I feel confidence and hope for the future of our nation, because, during your time at VMI, I have seen what you are capable of doing.鈥
Wins shared with the cadets that when he became a young officer, his life was filled with exacting missions, tough training, rapidly changing responsibilities, assignments around the world, attendance at outstanding military schools, and service under remarkable leaders. 鈥淎bove all, I became part of a great team of soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and service families. You, too, will come to cherish these same experiences.鈥
Wins congratulated each of them on pursuing and attaining their commission and told them the country is fortunate to have them. 鈥淲e are all very proud of you!鈥 He then welcomed Gingrich to the lectern.
After thanking Wins for the warm welcome, Gingrich recognized several distinguished guests in the crowd including Staff Sgt. Jack Moran, a 99-year-old WWII veteran who flew from Los Angeles to witness the commissioning of Thomas Langston 鈥25 into the Army. Langston鈥檚 great-granduncle, Tommy Langston, was Moran鈥檚 friend and squad commander in the 347th Infantry Regiment – K Company. The morning of December 16, 1944, their squad was hunkered down for battle near a little town called Obergailbach, France, close to the German border. Moran witnessed several of his brothers in arms die that day by German bullets. One of them was Langston. When Gingrich introduced Moran, the crowd in Cameron Hall rose to their feet and offered Moran an emotional ovation.
Gingrich continued his message. 鈥淚t is a privilege to address the commissioning officers from one of the nation鈥檚 top senior military colleges. This institution has produced nearly 300 general and flag officers, seven Medal of Honor recipients, 11 Rhodes Scholars, and one Nobel Prize winner. Additionally, VMI graduates have proven to be leaders in industry and government.鈥
He told the cadets that he appreciates their dedication, commitment and determination, and that those characteristics will be essential to their future success. 鈥淵ou are about to join a selective portion of our society, a mere 23% of our nation鈥檚 young adults are physically, legally, or educationally eligible for military service. Less than 1% of our nation鈥檚 population currently serve. Vanguards of our freedoms and way of life, envied by our nation鈥檚 friends and allies and feared by enemies, tyrants, and oppressors worldwide. Of that proportionally small force, only 18% represent the commissioned officer corps, which you are about to enter. Even more impressive is that most of our current force made a conscious, deliberate decision to volunteer for military service in a time of known, persistent conflict.鈥
He reminded them that there are threats all over the world. 鈥淣orth Korea remains unpredictable, Russia is in decline, fueling desperate and dangerous opportunism, and China is on the rise as a growing world power. As Americans, we do not have a deed on liberty. We only have a lease that must be renewed by every generation, a lease underwritten today by these exceptional aspiring leaders.鈥
Gingrich reminded the cadets that they will sacrifice greatly, yet they will embrace the challenge and lead with courage. 鈥淵ou will set the example of quiet professionalism, skilled, confident and unflappable, but also self-effacing and humble. You will shun the limelight and defer credit to your subordinates, and despite that humble underpinning, you will have plenty of reason to be proud. You and those you lead will thrive where few are capable and fewer still have the courage to try. You will endure where most lack the character and determination to persist, you will voluntarily relinquish many of the very rights you protect, and you will steer clear of domestic politics and growing polarization and stay above the fray. In all things, you will be held to a higher standard of conduct. This may sound overwhelming, but you鈥檙e ready, VMI has armed you for success.鈥
In closing, Gingrich referenced a personal favorite Bible verse, Isaiah 6:8. 鈥淭hen I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 鈥榃hom shall I send and who will go for us?鈥 And I said, 鈥楬ere I am. Send me!鈥欌
He then asked the commissioning cadets to stand and he administered the oath of office.
Gingrich commissioned from Temple University in 1989 as an armor officer with a degree in civil and construction engineering technology. He embarked on a career in operations research, supporting and leading the Army鈥檚 force and program development. His operational experience includes chief, Force Generation, and Plans and Posture in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom; and deputy director, Chief of Assessments, during Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). He returned from OEF and completed one year as a fellow with the Brookings Institution, a research foundation based in Washington, D.C. Prior to becoming deputy chief of staff, he was director of program analysis and evaluation, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff. Gingrich holds a master鈥檚 degree in industrial engineering from the University of Louisville, as well as advanced degrees from the Air University and the National Defense University.
Following the ceremony, the separate branches held their individual pin-on ceremonies in four separate locations on post. It is there that the newly commissioned officers follow a tradition of presenting a silver dollar to the active service member or veteran from whom they receive their first salute. In Marshall Hall where the Army held their pin-on ceremony, the crowd erupted in cheers, applause, and a few tears when Moran rendered Langston his first salute. Langston then gave Moran a silver dollar and a bear hug.
According to Capt. Maurice Dawson, assistant professor of military science for Army ROTC, two cadets stand out as exemplary, Jonah Jurack 鈥25 and Ethan Fogle 鈥25. 鈥淛urack is the Blue Ridge Battalion cadet commander and valedictorian for the graduating class. There are approximately 6,000 Army ROTC cadets in the nation and Jurack is ranked 14th, and a Distinguished Military Graduate. Fogle is ranked 56th nationally, and he is a Distinguished Military Graduate as well. In addition, Fogle was part of the Ranger Challenge team that competed in Exercise Cambrian Patrol in Wales last October and received the bronze medal,鈥 said Dawson.
Lt. John Walker, naval science instructor for Naval ROTC, designated two outstanding cadets. Anna Yemelianova 鈥25 and Jiayi 鈥淛ames鈥 Li 鈥25. 鈥淵emelianova has excelled in both academics and physical fitness. She ranked second out of a very competitive group of 1st Class midshipmen. She was in charge of the NROTC academic program for 300 midshipmen, managing study hours and student-tutor pairing. She will be a surface warfare officer aboard the USS Mount Rushmore stationed in Sasebo, Japan. Li stands out in both academics and leadership and ranked fourth out of 14 in his peer group in cumulative GPA. He is commissioning as a submarine warfare officer, and will attend Naval post-graduate school in Monterey, California, to complete a master鈥檚 degree before beginning the Navy nuclear power training pipeline.鈥
Capt. Philip Haly, Marine officer instructor for Naval ROTC, named two outstanding cadets entering the Marine Corps, Jack Fletcher 鈥25 and Trey McGee 鈥25. 鈥淔letcher has a cumulative GPA of 3.24, and scored 290 out of 300 on the physical fitness test. He exceptionally performed the duties as Marine ROTC Company commander and Bulldog Platoon advisor. The cadets within the Marine company voted him 鈥渕ost inspirational leader.鈥 McGee has a cumulative GPA of 3.88, and scored 300 out of 300 on the physical fitness test. He served as the Marine ROTC senior enlisted advisor and the Bulldog Platoon commander throughout his 1st Class year. As the senior enlisted advisor, he was critical in our company鈥檚 accountability and culture development. He completed this through meticulous attention to detail and leadership by example. Those characteristics carried over to the spring, where he led the charge in developing 2nd Class cadets for officer candidate school in our Bulldog Platoon.鈥
Lt. Col. Nicholas Cooper 鈥09, director of staff of Air Force ROTC, cited two exceptional cadets entering the Air Force: Elena Gutierrez 鈥25 and Cate Dowden 鈥25. 鈥淕utierrez is the epitome of both a VMI cadet captain and a future Air Force officer! She鈥檚 held various leadership positions throughout the AFROTC cadet wing. Her highest role was cadet vice wing commander, in which she was the number two cadet in the entire 250-plus wing, which includes cadets from Mary Baldwin University, Southern Virginia University, and Washington & Lee University. She is ranked the No. 1 Air Force cadet by AFROTC Commander, Col. Nichole Scott, and has earned the coveted Distinguished Graduate (DG) award鈥攅stablished to recognize the top 10% of commissioning cadets鈥攆rom AFROTC. She鈥檚 made huge impacts in the Corps of Cadets as the S2 captain over academics, improving the availability of tutors significantly. She partnered with the academic department heads to ensure the tutors were vetted and qualified to lead struggling students through academic rigor. As the cadet wing inspector general in her final semester, she has ensured her peers stay on task and finish their four-year AFROTC interview strong. She already acts at the level of a second lieutenant, and will make a fantastic air battle manager in the USAF.
鈥淒owden has been an asset to both the AFROTC and the Corps of Cadets. This has been an amazing journey for her as she juggled the hardest major of ME at VMI, Institute Honors as well as rank on the hill and the cadet wing commander for AFROTC. Simply amazing! She has risen through the VMI ranks to be the Charlie Company commander, and was hand-picked to lead the Cadet Wing in her final semester. She also earned the DG award. She鈥檚 going to be an excellent space and missiles officer, and will give respect and honor to the VMI name,鈥 shared Cooper.
According to Command Sgt. Maj. Suzanne Rubenstein, director of cadet activities and VMI liaison for the Coast Guard Auxiliary University Program (AUP), Nicholas Hemstreet 鈥25 was the only cadet to commission into USCG this year. 鈥淣icholas was the 2nd Battalion commanding officer,聽the AUP commander, and one of the AUP founding members who has worked diligently toward improving the program. He is a self-starter with unlimited potential,鈥 she said. 聽
Memorial Parade
Earlier in the day the Memorial Parade was held, commemorating the bravery and sacrifice of all alumni who died on the field of honor. The garrison flags were flown at half-staff, by order of Gov. Glenn Youngkin, in memory and respect of Peace Officers鈥 Memorial Day, a fitting backdrop as all 591 alumni names were read by Angelina Garcia 鈥25, William Lauerman 鈥25, Garrett Maye 鈥28, and Jamie Rodriguez 鈥28. A wreath was laid at the foot of the monument, 鈥淰irginia Mourning Her Dead,鈥 as well as at the three barracks arches, followed by the firing of a three-volley salute. A stirring echo rendition of 鈥淭aps鈥 was played, followed by the Pipe Band leading the Regimental Band in an emotional delivery of 鈥淎mazing Grace.鈥 Col. Lawrence 鈥淟ey鈥 Havird 鈥90, commandant, was joined by Wins in taking review of the parade as the Corps marched from the Parade Ground down Letcher Avenue toward barracks.
Marianne Hause
VMI photos by H. Lockwood McLaughlin, Kelly Nye, and Jake Falcone ’27
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