To piggyback off of Col P’s post below, I think I’ll take this opportunity to honor VMI’s veterans.
10 have died on the field of honor since Sept. 11, 2001.
Lieutenant Joshua C. Hurley ’01
Lieutenant Commander David Lucian Williams ’91
And today, the corps is peppered with absent comrades, as cadets interrupt their educations to fulfill National Guard and Reserve commitments in Iraq and Afghanistan.
One of them is Sgt. Mark Miller, who missed his class graduation to clear roads in Iraq.
AL ASAD, Iraq – Mark Miller should have graduated from the Virginia Military Institute a few months ago with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering.
Instead, the combat engineer and Marine reservist assigned to the Virginia-based Charlie Company, 4th Combat Engineer Battalion is serving his second tour of duty in the western Al Anbar Province of Iraq. Academically, he’s fallen two years behind his peers in school.
But the 22 year-old Forrest, Va., native is not complaining about putting his civilian life and education on hold to return to Iraq. In fact, Miller, who was wounded in Iraq in 2004, volunteered to come back.
He spent two months in a hospital recovering from the wounds he received in 2004. It has not deterred him from serving in the military.
And over 1,000 VMI alumni are prosecuting the War on Terrorism from foreign shores today. An impressive figure for a school that graudates 200 cadets a year (nearly half don’t make it), and commissions about 40% of graduates.
As I’m sure you can tell from reading OPFOR, this is a place that Col P, Lightning, Charlie, and I are proud to call our alma mater.
If you’d like to give back to these amazing men and women this Veteran’s Day, perhaps I could suggest donating to Project Valour-IT?
This Marine is a shining example of what it is to be a Citizen-soldier (oops, I mean Citizen-MARINE) and a VMI man. Ready in times of deepest peril to vindicate her honor or defend her rights.
God keep you, Sgt. Miller. Finish strong and come home to get your degree. I’m proud that VMI still produces men like you.
me too Joel. Your citizen-soldier comment is dead on.
For those who are interested,the Timmerman Conference Center at Ft. Dix, NJ will be dedicated to SGT Ryan Doltz and the other three members of his unit, 3-112th FA, who were killed in Iraq:
Date: Wednesday, 15 November 2006
Event: Dedication of Timmerman Conference Center Honoring the Four NJNG KIA from GWOT
Location: Timmerman Conference Center, Ft. Dix
Time: 10:00 am
Staff Sergeant Frank T. Carvill
Staff Sergeant Humberto F. Timoteo
Sergeant Ryan E. Doltz
Specialist Christopher M. Duffy, Battery B, 3d Battalion, 112th Field Artillery
It should be noted that two additional names will be added to the list of those who have been deployed. My BR Col Bob Morris 79 (arrived yesterday) and the other I will not mention. One in 12 living VMI Alumni have served in this war on active duty or as civilians.
Great job! We held a regularly scheduled Soldiers’ Angels Board meeting yesterday and the excitement over Project Valour-IT was off the scales. Our Medical and Wounded Project is one of our most ambitious programs. Project Valour-IT makes a great difference in our wounded heroes’ recoveries. The success of this fundraiser is going to help so many soldiers. Great job and congratulations to OpFor and all of your readers. Mission Accomplished!