From rforno at infowarrior.org Mon May 3 19:37:45 2010 From: rforno at infowarrior.org (Richard Forno) Date: Mon, 3 May 2010 15:37:45 -0400 Subject: [sticklist] - VFMAC Foundation Trustees Appoint New President Message-ID: <79A260A8-2D6F-44AD-A5F5-D62D3AF67FE9@infowarrior.org> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 (via the FOG list) MAY 3, 2010 (WAYNE, PA) ? The Board of Trustees of the Valley Forge Military Academy Foundation appointed Colonel David R. Gray, USA, PhD, as President of Valley Forge Military Academy & College on April 21, 2010. The appointment will take effect on August 1. Colonel Gray is an infantry officer who has performed a variety of command and staff duties in the United States and overseas. He has led progressively larger size units, culminating in command of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). He has served as an operations officer and strategist on the Joint Staff and Department of Army Staff in Washington D.C. Colonel Gray has participated in both peacekeeping and combat operations in Haiti, the Balkans, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Colonel Gray is a 1980 Distinguished Military Graduate of Western Illinois University where he majored in History. He is a graduate of the Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the Command and General Staff College, the Armed Forces Staff College, and the US Army War College. He has earned several advanced degrees including a master?s in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College and a masters and Doctorate in military history from The Ohio State University. Among his many educational achievements and awards, he has earned the Omar N. Bradley Research Fellowship in Military History, the Federal Executive Fellowship at Brookings Institute in Washington DC, the Excellence in Teaching Award from the USMA Department of History, and the Phi Kappa Phi Academic Excellence Award. He is an experienced educator both in the classroom and in educational leadership positions. Colonel Gray has taught as assistant professor of military history at United States Military Academy, adjunct professor of history at University Maryland (European Division), US Army Federal Executive Fellow at Brookings Institute, and West Point?s Chair and Professor of Officership. He is currently the Director of Policy, Strategic Planning, and Assessments at West Point. COL Gray and his wife Karen will join the Valley Forge team this summer following his retirement from a distinguished 30 year military career. The Gray?s have three children: Captain Stephanie Bankson of Fort Lewis, Washington; Ms. Jennifer Gray of Hope Mills, North Carolina; and Ms. Megan Gray of Columbus, Ohio. Their son-in-law Captain Nate Bankson also resides at Fort Lewis, Washington. ?The Board voted unanimously to appoint Colonel Gray president,? said William R. Floyd, Jr., Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Acting President. ?Colonel Gray is a well rounded individual who brings a tremendous military, educational and entrepreneurial talent to Valley Forge. He is focused on the mission of the Academy and College to develop each cadet?s character and competence, which provides the basis for a bright, promising future. On behalf of the Board of Trustees, staff, faculty and cadets, I welcome him to Valley Forge. We are honored to have him, and we?re very enthusiastic about the school?s future,? Floyd said. ?I am very honored and privileged to be selected to lead Valley Forge?an institution with a rich history of developing citizens and leaders of great character,? Colonel Gray remarked. ?Karen and I are excited by this great opportunity to continue to make a difference in shaping our country?s future. We look forward to joining the Valley Forge and Wayne community!? -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG/MacGPG2 v2.0.14 (Darwin) iEYEARECAAYFAkvfJg8ACgkQKWZyO29ebPZC0wCfaIwsXd8mkYrXSu5yoNQYDyZc DBoAoL2g7EVG2MBn7D+VWPwjAnhd+Msl =lSas -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- From rforno at infowarrior.org Wed May 5 20:56:55 2010 From: rforno at infowarrior.org (Richard Forno) Date: Wed, 5 May 2010 16:56:55 -0400 Subject: [sticklist] - Bandsman: A Request for Help Message-ID: <411456E8-9C74-4894-9B6A-27F77B7367BC@infowarrior.org> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 All, While the Sticklist is not a list dedicated to VF fundraising, every so often something crosses my inbox that I think warrants passing along to support a worthwhile project that directly impacts the Cadet experience. Although I am a proud Corpsman, I am relaying one such request to support the VFMAC Regimental Band. ;) Please pass it along to any Bandsmen you may know, or if you want to participate yourself, by all means feel free -- this is not a Band-only thing. Cheers, - -Rick Forno '90 '92C Sticklist Administrator < - > Dear fellow Bandsmen, For every generation of alumni as well as the thousands of guests who have enjoyed the parades at Valley Forge Military Academy and College, one of the most memorable moments is the first sighting of the Band as it leads the Corps of Cadets onto the parade field. For many, that moment is the incomparable sound of a stirring march. For others, it is the sight of the Drum Major executing a flawless set of commands with the mace. The Drum Major's scarlet tunic, followed by the musicians' precise marching and performing, sets the tone for the remainder of the parade. Later, as the Band performs Sound Off, cracking into its signature step of slow march, the resulting round of applause is acknowledgment of a unique tradition performed by only one unit. Throughout its history, the Band has been led by Bandmasters who have become the subject of legend. For many, it is D. Keith Feltham. For more recent alumni, it is Danny Jaynes. And, today, the Bandmaster who will lead the Valley Forge Band into its next era of greatness is Phil Evans. Many have identified Mr. Evans as "the next Duke." At the 2010 Homecoming weekend, Bandmaster Evans made a request of the Band alumni. There are two projects that he needs funded, and many have already expressed their willingness to assist. First, the full dress mace, carried by so many Drum Majors over the years, is in very fragile condition. Like the original herald trumpets that were recently placed in the VF Museum when new horns were acquired, the mace needs to be retired to its place of honor before it suffers irreparable damage. Bandmaster Evans has identified a master craftsman who can replicate the mace, down to retaining the distinctive images of the VF crest and George Washington kneeling in the snow, surrounded by the name of the school. Using a detailed written description of specifications, photographs of the full dress mace, and a very old mace head as a model, the new mace will serve future generations of the Band. Second, the Band has an opportunity to return to England in December to represent Valley Forge Military Academy and College in the annual Lord Mayor of London's New Year's Day Parade. This event attracts participants from throughout Europe and the world. For anyone who has witnessed the thousands of cheering spectators as the Valley Forge Band marches by in the parade, it is a moment of incredible pride. So, what do we need from the greatest group of Valley Forge Military Academy and College alumni? From former Drum Majors, we ask for your generous financial support to replace the mace. Who better to understand the emotional connection of this iconic symbol of the Band than those who had the privilege to carry it? For every other Band alumnus, we hope that each one of you will give to the young members of today's Band the unforgettable experience of representing Valley Forge to the rest of the world in London this December. We need your support to make this happen! Your contribution can be sent directly to Bandmaster Evans, with a notation that it is restricted for one (or both) of the two purposes described above. Mr. Evans will maintain a record of all contributions, work with the Finance Office to establish a restricted fund, and coordinate with the Development Office to ensure that all gifts are recorded and acknowledged. If you have already made a gift in this fiscal year that ends June 30th, you may include a notation that your gift should be credited to the 2010-2011 fiscal year beginning on July 1st. Mr. Evans can be reached at pevans at vfmac.edu or at 610-989-1252 if you have questions or wish to otherwise further support the Band. We all share an experience at Valley Forge that sets us apart from every other alumnus in her long history. We were in the Band. No one else can lay claim to that honor and that privilege. Courage, Honor, Conquer. Dave Haught '77, '79C Band Captain, Drum Major Dan Wolfe '74 '76C Band 2nd Lieutenant, Drum Major John Rapp '74C Band 1st Sergeant -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG/MacGPG2 v2.0.14 (Darwin) iEYEARECAAYFAkvh25wACgkQKWZyO29ebPatMACgxcBTT//WGkT1rsMoIBpnCVVO vKAAniVnme21J+uPfzIQgXcl58INgSFp =ehvi -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- From rforno at infowarrior.org Tue May 25 21:02:21 2010 From: rforno at infowarrior.org (Richard Forno) Date: Tue, 25 May 2010 22:02:21 -0400 Subject: [sticklist] - Update on Band Mace Project Message-ID: -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 While the Sticklist is not a fundraising message service, I do think it important to report on success stories of Alumni support to Valley Forge that originate at the unofficial 'grassroots' level by members of the broader Forge Alumni community. As you may recall, the 2007 choir robes project sponsored by Continental Online enjoyed similar support and ultimately collected more than was asked for, with the extra cash going to support Chapel operations. Here, a Band-specific project is off to a similar positive start in just under two weeks' time!! - -Rick Forno '90 '92C Sticklist Administrator (and for purposes of this note, a proud "Corpsman") *g* May 24, 2010 Dear Alumni Bandsmen, Recently, we shared with you the opportunity to participate in a special project to support the Band. During Homecoming weekend, we learned that the full dress Mace is in very fragile condition and needs to be replaced before it can be retired to the Museum. Additionally, the Band has been invited to participate in the Lord Mayor of London?s annual New Year?s Day parade. The parade will be celebrating its 25th anniversary, and it is a great honor to Valley Forge and our Band to lead it this year. Since starting the project to raise funds for both of these important purposes, we have heard from many of you regarding details on the mace. The new mace will be a replica of the current one, and Bandmaster Evans received price quotes from a master craftsman who will create the new mace. With our full support, Mr. Evans has chosen sterling silver for the top of the mace over brass or silver plate. The cost of the new mace is $8500 and it will be a fitting and beautiful successor to the mace that led all of us in parade and served as the iconic symbol that all associate with the Valley Forge Military Academy and College Band. In slightly over two weeks? time, a total of $5150 in outright gifts has been received! Pledges totaling at least $1000 have also been made and will be paid shortly. We are delighted with the progress of this project, and we extend our sincere thanks to those of you who have contributed or pledged. At the end of this project we will share with you the names of all of the donors. We want to accomplish two things, which is why we still need your support. First, we need to assure Bandmaster Evans that all of the funds needed for the new mace will be raised. Second, we need to assist him with funding that will lessen the burden that he and the cadets must assume to be able to lead the parade in London. By going to England to participate in this parade, the Band doesn?t just represent Valley Forge; it is a reflection of all of us and what we accomplished as Bandsmen in our day. We hope that you share our pride as Band Alumni. The Bands of our past assured us of Valley Forge?s greatness. The Bands of the future inspire us to believe that Valley Forge will endure. Please, support the Band. Send your contribution with a notation on the check that this is for the Mace/London Trip Project. Bandmaster Evans will ensure that our gifts support this project. Courage, Honor, Conquer. Dave Haught '77, '79C Dan Wolfe ?74. 76C John Rapp ?74C Band Captain, Drum Major Band 2nd Lt, Drum Major Band 1st Sergeant -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG/MacGPG2 v2.0.14 (Darwin) iEYEARECAAYFAkv8gTEACgkQKWZyO29ebPb6OACfbtpYQC4ATsdbT2v7x4uMLMPb HWcAn0tX+RgYncQIfIW2O2tFHhAq1IAa =PHiZ -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- From rforno at infowarrior.org Thu May 27 17:26:20 2010 From: rforno at infowarrior.org (Richard Forno) Date: Thu, 27 May 2010 18:26:20 -0400 Subject: [sticklist] - Valley Forge sells, leases parcels to Eastern University Message-ID: <7E838F5A-F071-42D8-91BD-BAF8C866D7E1@infowarrior.org> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Main Line Suburban Life > News Valley Forge sells, leases parcels to Eastern University Thursday, May 27, 2010 By Sam Strike http://mainlinemedianews.com/articles/2010/05/27/main_line_suburban_life/news/doc4bfe8127c40e7826847425.prt Valley Forge Military Academy & College today announced the sale of a 19.4 acre parcel of land adjacent to its main campus to neighboring Eastern University, which has its 92-acre main campus less than one mile away. The land is bordered by Eagle Road, Radnor Street Road and Walnut Avenue in the section of North Wayne where residences and institutions, including also Cabrini College, mix. It is currently used for parking and for some faculty and staff housing. According to a joint news release, the two schools also agreed to ?certain shared uses of other facilities? that would allow the current Valley Forge staff residents living in the homes on the parcel to remain there for the ?foreseeable future.? The statement did not specify what those ?shared uses? will be, but according to an email from James G. Rogers, a vice president in the office of development and alumni relations according to the school?s web site, in exchange for retaining the use of the parcel, called the ?south campus,? for its personnel, Valley Forge will lease to eastern its apartments on Radnor Street Road, it?s adjacent tennis courts and its athletic fields ?on a long-term basis.? According to Rogers? email, within three to five years Eastern wants to establish on the south campus ?a small collegiate school for bright students with learning differences.? Dr. David Black, President of Eastern University, described it as ?an arts intensive, two-year college program for students with non-verbal learning disabilities.? ?The south campus is an ideal spot for this first-of-its-kind program in the United States,? Black said in a statement. According to Rogers, shuttles will move students from Eastern?s main campus to its new leased athletic fields and that the school will not pursue the installation of sidewalks on Eagle Road. URL: http://www.mainlinemedianews.com/articles/2010/05/27/main_line_suburban_life/news/doc4bfe8127c40e7826847425.prt ? 2010 mainlinemedianews.com, a Journal Register Property -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG/MacGPG2 v2.0.14 (Darwin) iEYEARECAAYFAkv+8ZIACgkQKWZyO29ebPa5zQCgqc0vHkfzWfco7ckVxbhwBxEH JZoAniQPFRsnfjoAjiQfmhNzCgxiJNer =QbKU -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- From rforno at infowarrior.org Fri May 28 09:22:50 2010 From: rforno at infowarrior.org (Richard Forno) Date: Fri, 28 May 2010 10:22:50 -0400 Subject: [sticklist] - VFMAC Appoints College President Message-ID: -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 (c/o VFMAC official note) VALLEY FORGE MILITARY COLLEGE APPOINTS COLLEGE PRESIDENT MAY 28, 2010 (WAYNE, PA) - The Valley Forge Military College administration appointed LtCol John C. Church, Jr., USMCR, as President of Valley Forge Military College. The appointment will take effect on July 1. "Lieutenant Colonel Church's military experiences, added to his already impressive academic background make him the ideal leader and role model for our College cadets," said William R. Floyd, Jr., Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Acting VFMA&C President. "We are proud that he has accepted the position at Valley Forge Military College." "It is a great honor and humbling privilege to be given the opportunity to lead the College. My service as a professor and dean here has prepared me well. Mary Kay and I are thrilled to be back at VF and are so grateful for the wonderful support she and I received while I was most recently deployed. While serving in both Iraq and Afghanistan I came across college alumni serving gallantly in harm's way and so proud to be from VFMC. Right now there is a VFMC graduate making a difference in the nation and the world. To add a page to that narrative will be wonderful." Lieutenant Colonel Church has just returned from a US Marine Corps active duty assignment where he was the Future Operations Plans Officer for Civil-Military Operations for the 2ndMarine Expeditionary Brigade in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Prior to activating and mobilizing Lieutenant Colonel Church was the Director of the Service Academy Preparatory Program at Valley Forge Military Academy & College. Previous to his Afghan assignment, he was the Detachment Commander of a Civil Affairs unit, leading Marines, soldiers, sailors and Iraqi civilians in Ar Ramadi, Al Anbar Province Iraq, during the historic "Al Anbar Awakening." Lieutenant Colonel Church enlisted from Detroit and served as an active duty deck seaman and hospital corpsman assigned to the Marines. He eventually earned a Secretary of the Navy appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis. MD. As a reservist, Lieutenant Colonel Church commanded Company C, 4th Combat Engineer Battalion in Lynchburg, Virginia, from where he led a deployment to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. With 4th Civil Affairs Group, Lieutenant Colonel Church served in Kosovo, completed two tours of duty in Ramadi, Iraq, taught Civil Affairs to soldiers of the Armed Forces of Liberia, and successfully completed his most recent service in Afghanistan. Lieutenant Colonel Church earned a M.A. in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U. S. Naval War College, a M. A. in Communication Journalism and Public Affairs from American University in Washington, D.C. and a B.S. in Political Science from the U.S. Naval Academy. Lieutenant Colonel Church is a second-year doctoral student at Temple University in the Mass Media and Communication program. Last year his paper, The Best Seven Months of Our Lives: The War in Iraq and the Battle in Hollywood, won first place in the Pennsylvania Communication Association Writing Competition. Also, his personal reflections of duty throughout the world have been featured in USA Today, the Washington Post and thePhiladelphia Inquirer. Lieutenant Colonel Church's personal decorations include: the Meritorious Service Medal with Gold Star, the Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal with two Gold Stars, the Army Commendation Medal and the Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal and the Combat Action Ribbon. Lieutenant Colonel Church and his wife, Mary Kay, a retired Marine Major, are the proud parents of John Carl Church, III (5) Travis Joseph Church (3) and twins Harper and Claire (1). Lieutenant Colonel Church is the son of Colonel and Mrs. John C. Church, Sr., USMC (Retired) of Mount Clemens, Michigan. Valley Forge Military College - The Military College of Pennsylvania is a private, co-educational, residential college that offers the freshman and sophomore years of college to over 300 young women and men. The primary mission of the VFMC is to prepare students for transfer to competitive four-year colleges and universities.Valley Forge Military College is the only college in the northeastern United States that offers qualified freshmen the opportunity to participate in an Early Commissioning Program, leading to a commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserves or Army National Guard at the end of their sophomore year. The U.S. Air Force Academy, the U.S. Military Academy, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and the U.S. Naval Academy have all sponsored cadets through their Foundation Scholarship Programs and other programs to attend Valley Forge Military College. Added in 1935, the mission of Valley Forge Military College is to provide a character-based education where our young cadets become fully prepared to meet their responsibilities, to be alert in mind, sound in body and considerate of others, and to demonstrate a high sense of duty, honor, loyalty and courage. Valley Forge is the alma mater of such distinguished alumni as Rhodes Scholar, White House Fellow and author Westley W. O. Moore '96/'98C; author J. D. Salinger '36; U. S. Senator Warren B. Rudman '48; GEN H. Norman Schwarzkopf '52, Commander of Operation Desert Storm; former Governor of Puerto Rico, The Honorable Rafael Hernandez Colon '54; and 2003 Heisman Trophy runner-up, 2004 third overall NFL draft pick Arizona Cardinals player, Larry Fitzgerald '02. -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG/MacGPG2 v2.0.14 (Darwin) iEYEARECAAYFAkv/0b0ACgkQKWZyO29ebPZlNgCfXXSyLuxkgfNMGyGzAeTlOZap WqcAoOvtl6LqAt/iQ1Tuyc8i+XB13eE5 =FJ0x -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- From rforno at infowarrior.org Sat May 29 11:33:43 2010 From: rforno at infowarrior.org (Richard Forno) Date: Sat, 29 May 2010 12:33:43 -0400 Subject: [sticklist] - Memorial Day Message Message-ID: <0E53E290-3A14-4DC2-B8A7-AE7D066D6536@infowarrior.org> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 All, Just a quick note of recognition, rememberance, and thanks to those who have served in our Nation's Armed Forces over the years -- and a special nod to those who are serving currently (and their families/friends), including those forward deployed in harm's way; my best wishes to you and your troops for a safe deployment and speedy, healthy return home! Stay Safe, Rick Forno '90 '92C Sticklist Administrator -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG/MacGPG2 v2.0.14 (Darwin) iEYEARECAAYFAkwBQeoACgkQKWZyO29ebPbV/gCgomi/QZ98/j//DRluIXEecnuE ZBIAn2i4hlxUE8QVDgrmz5ceynzywL4k =T3xm -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----